


Valentine's Day

by mab2184



Category: Girl Meets World
Genre: F/M, Friendship, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-06
Updated: 2019-09-09
Packaged: 2019-11-12 22:19:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 44
Words: 169,123
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18019502
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mab2184/pseuds/mab2184
Summary: Maya plans a surprise for Josh's birthday and Josh's reaction to the surprise leads to an important discussion on the sustainability of their long game.





	1. Chapter 1

Josh woke up suddenly with the familiar ringing of his alarm reverberating in his subconscious. It took him a couple of seconds however to notice that the song that usually woke him up- "It's a beautiful day," by U2 was NOT what was ringing in his ears. It was an obnoxiously loud and terribly sung birthday song. The tone was off-key and the voice sounded like one of those munchkin videos.  _Who the hell was singing like that?_

He sat up on his bed and spun around towards the direction of the singing to notice none other than his college best friend, Andrew Watkins. Andrew was excitedly jumping up and down in the middle of Josh's dorm room as he bellowed out the birthday song at the top of his lungs and threw a bunch of confetti in the air, thereby littering Josh's impeccably clean dorm room. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAREST JOSHIEEEE! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOUUUU! YAYYYY!"

"HOLY CRAP! ENOUGH DREW!" Josh yelled as he felt his ear drums close to bursting from his friend's terrible voice. "I got it. It's my birthday. Please, if you care about me, just stop!"

"HOW OLD ARE YOU NOW?! HOW OLD ARE YOU NOW?!" Andrew continued singing even more loudly.

"OH MY GOD, DREW! IM GOING TO KILL YOU NOW!" Josh leapt off his bed and charged towards Andrew, ready to pummel him.

"OK! OK! I'M DONE!" Andrew held up his hands in surrender, and backed off from a clearly annoyed (and still sleepy) Josh. "Dude, chill. It's your birthday. Why would you want to start off with the murder of your adorable friend?" Andrew gave him a wide, toothy grin.

Josh just shook his head in disbelief at his friend's antics and took a look at his room which was now all covered in pink confetti. "Holy crap. Dude, you cleaning this up right?" Josh felt he was going to have a heart attack. He wasn't necessarily a neat freak but he had just spent a good part of his Saturday a few days ago cleaning up his room. And now, all of his hard work had been completely destroyed.

"Dude, nah, I can't, I got an exam in like two minutes. I shouldn't have even come here." Andrew responded as he checked the time on his phone and dropped something that looked like a cake box on Josh's desk. " _This_  is from Jas." He said, pointing to the cake. "She said it's your favorite. Although, I didn't know you had a favorite cake? You like never eat cake. You eat veggies like all the time. When did you and Jas talk about this?"

"Dude, so you're seriously not cleaning this up?" Josh glared at Andrew in disbelief.

"Noo-ppe. Love you though man. Happy birthday! Jas and I will see you for lunch? We're treating you. Sounds good?"

Josh didn't respond. He kept staring at Andrew with a sour look on his face, and already thinking of ways to get revenge on his friend for trashing his room  _on his birthday of all days_  and just running off.

"O…kay. Silence means consent. Lunch it is! See you later, bud. Bye!" Andrew quickly ran off, sensing from the look on Josh's face that he had pissed the birthday boy off enough.

Josh ran his hand through his hair and sighed loudly in frustration. "I'm going to kill him." He muttered to himself as he glanced around at his room once more. His attention finally settled on the cake on his desk. With a slight smile on his face, he walked towards it and opened the box, curious to see if Jasmine, Andrew's current girlfriend and Josh's friend as well, had really remembered his favorite cake flavor. He couldn't even remember having that conversation with her. He opened it up to see a scrumptious red velvet cake and his smile grew even wider. He would make sure to say a big thank you to Jasmine, after he killed her boyfriend.

He picked up the cake and was about to put it in his little dorm fridge when he heard his phone ringing. Quickly setting the cake down, he rushed to his bed and fumbled through his bed covers until he found his phone buried underneath. Glancing at the caller ID, he felt his smile grow a thousand times wider and his heart skip a beat as he quickly answered the phone. "Maya?" He whispered her name softly.

"BOING!" Maya responded enthusiastically. Josh grinned from ear to ear at the sound of her voice. He could almost picture the look of pure happiness on her face as she yelled out her favorite nickname for him, and he couldn't help but feel his heart expanding with euphoria.

"Boy, aren't you cheery this morning. To what do I owe this awfully excited and sugary cheery Maya?" He teased lightly.

"To your BIRTHDAY, you old man you!" Maya exclaimed and immediately commenced to sing the birthday song. Josh almost dropped the phone in shock as he listened to her angelic rendition of the song which his best friend had butchered just a few minutes before. He had heard of Maya being a good singer but he had never actually heard her sing by herself. The rare occasions in the past that he had witnessed her singing was during Matthews Christmas family gatherings. But even then, they were all singing traditional carols together as a group so he hadn't noticed anything particularly special about the beautiful blonde's voice…until now.  _My God, I could listen to this all day_ , he thought dreamily to himself as he felt himself completely entranced the more Maya sang.

"Happy birthday Josh! Wishing you lots of happiness today!" Maya exclaimed joyfully after she finished singing. Josh was literally tingling with euphoria as Maya's voice still echoed in his ears. He laid down on his bed, pressed the phone gently to his ear, and took a few seconds to consider his next words before he spoke.

"First of, my God, Maya, you have an amazing voice. I mean, I'm speechless right now. I'm pretty sure that was the best birthday song that I've ever heard in my 18 years of life. Please don't tell my parents or Cory that. Especially, Cory. He might be devastated." Maya burst out laughing at this comment, the sound of which filled him with a soothing warmth.  _That's another sound that I could listen to all day_ , he thought to himself. "Secondly, thanks for calling. You've definitely made my day after it was almost ruined by my soon to be ex-best-friend."

"Oh no! What did Andrew do?"

"Oh you know- woke me up with a birthday song that wanted me to kill him and then also kill myself and scattered my entire room with pink confetti- which by the way- he's not cleaning up. So yeah, I was pretty pissed before your call."

"Shoot! Why didn't I think of that?" Maya exclaimed amidst laughter.

"Uh no. You would have been on my naughty list if you had done that. You're on my good list now. Don't ruin it kiddo."

"Yes sir! Anywho what are your plans today birthday boy?"

"Hmmm," Josh thought as he took a quick look at the time- 9:30am. He had to go to class in an hour. Maya had called him at the perfect time. And then it hit him. Why was she calling at that time? Didn't she have school? It was a Wednesday morning.

"Hold on. As much as I'm enjoying this convo, don't you have school right now? How are you able to talk on the phone?"

There was a short pause where Josh could almost hear the wheels in her head turning trying to come up with a credible excuse for why she wasn't sitting in a classroom in that moment.

"Um, well I AM in school." She finally spoke. "Just not in a classroom..."

Josh burst out laughing, already anticipating where this was going.

"So you're cutting class- to call me." He responded, shaking his head slightly. It was classic Maya.

"Well, not exactly," Maya responded. "I might have asked your brother if I could go to the bathroom and I kinda haven't returned yet. It's been ten minutes now I think? I should probably get going before Riles organizes a search party to come looking for me." This comment made Josh burst again into laughter as he imagined his niece recruiting a search party which would probably comprise of Lucas, Zay, Farkle and Smackle- their friend group- roaming through the halls of Abigail Adams high school looking for Maya who was probably hiding in a bathroom stall. He laughed so hard he started to feel tears at the corner of his eyes.

"This is hilarious." He responded as he wiped the tears off. "Yeah you should probably get going because my adorable- but slightly overprotective niece- will definitely do that. She kinda takes after her father don't you think?"

"Oh my God, they're practically twins!" Maya quickly agreed as Josh smiled warmly. He absolutely adored his family and was even more grateful that Maya was practically a part of it. One of his favorite conversation topics with her whenever they ran into each other at family gatherings was poking fun at his family's crazy antics.

"Alright, Maya, I'm going to let you go before you get caught. Thanks again for calling."

"Wait, not so fast!" She yelled. "You still haven't told me your plans! It is Valentine's Day after all, and your birthday. I assume you are busy?"

Josh grinned- not exactly sure where she was going with this. Was she trying to ask him out? He decided to entertain her for now by giving her the details of his day as he currently had planned.

"Well no. I'm actually not too busy today. I have class, a lunch with Andrew and Jasmine- though that might probably turn into a funeral so stay tuned-" he heard Maya giggling at this, which made him feel warm inside- "and then more class, and that's about it. I got lots of homework to catch up on though. But in terms of birthday stuff- I'm coming over to Cor's on Saturday for dinner. I assume you will be there?"

"Um yeah duh. I practically live there." Josh laughed. "Good point."

"So what I'm hearing is that Boing Matthews doesn't have a romantic dinner date planned on this beautiful day of luvvv?"

Josh chuckled- sensing exactly where the conversation was going. "Um no, I do not actually. Shocking I know. Not sure what it is about NYU girls- I seem to be invisible to them apparently." That last part was a lie. Since starting his Freshman year of college, he had probably been asked out like 3 times which made him quickly realize that girls were a lot bolder in college than they were in high school where the norm was to wait for the guy to make the first move. One girl- Emily- he had actually gone on a date with. She was in his Spanish class, the first semester, a pretty brunette from Canada. They had shared a love of Spanish language and culture. One of Josh's dreams was to study abroad in Spain at some point in his college career. One date with Emily though was enough for him to realize that they would be better off as friends, so he quickly made sure things didn't progress any further.

And then came the weekend he would never forget, just over a month ago, when he accompanied Cory's class as a chaperone to their annual ski trip and ended up finally admitting (and accepting) his growing feelings for his niece's best friend. His affection for Maya had slowly developed over the years with every encounter he had shared with her. He wasn't sure when that affection evolved into something more but it probably started after she barged into NYU last Spring and started spilling her feelings out to Josh, Andrew, Jasmine and Charlotte during their small hangout party.

After that moment, Josh never forgot the intensity of Maya's gaze, the conviction with which she declared her feelings for him and the reasons she felt that way. His heart was racing as he listened in shock to every observation that Maya made about him. He couldn't believe that she had been paying that much attention to him- that she found him so worthy of her attention despite everything that was going on in her life.

When Maya was done speaking, it immediately occurred to him that he had never met a girl like her before- fearless, persistent, and extremely protective of those she cared about. In that moment, he was no longer able to dismiss Maya's feelings as an adolescent crush. They were genuine- he could feel them. Maya was a lot more mature than he had given her credit for and he couldn't help but be speechless as he gazed at her in silent awe. He had promised Maya at the end of that encounter that he would start seeing her differently. And he had kept that promise, especially in the quiet moments when her gaze, her mischievous smile and her words would invade his daydreams.  _I like you Josh. I'm in it for the long game_. For a whole summer last year, she was all he could think about. And even though he was still bothered by her age, he could feel his walls getting weaker until they completely crumbled near the warm fireplace at the ski lodge when she gazed at him with utter adoration and declared yet again with utmost confidence-  _"I like you, Josh. It's you I like."_  He couldn't deny the effect she had on him anymore- his rapidly beating heart, the butterflies in his stomach, the elation on his face when he realized that she still liked him, and definitely not the cowboy.

Long story short, they were now playing the long game. Friends, until they could be something more at the appropriate time. And so far, he was satisfied with the way their relationship was progressing in their one month of playing the long game- frequent texts, occasional calls and of course the goofing off and flirtation whenever he would stop by the Matthews to do his laundry. There was a small part of him however that worried that Maya would be so focused on the long game and on someday that she would miss out on her high school experience. Zay raised this concern when he had first visited the Matthews after the ski lodge trip, and it had bothered him ever since.

As far as he knew, Maya was pretty innocent when it came to relationships. She had never dated before and Josh was her first serious love interest. As much as Josh hated to think about it, he didn't want Maya shutting herself off from the possibility of other relationships or interests because of him. After all, who knew if he was the right person for her? Anything could happen in the future. He didn't want Maya putting her life on hold for a future that was far from certain. But he also couldn't imagine a future without her in it, and if she did seriously pursue other love interests, then perhaps someday might never be...

Needless to say, he felt conflicted about whether he had been selfish in promising her a someday and a long game which sounded nice in theory but in practice was probably extremely confusing and complicated for a 15 year old girl in high school. Was he ultimately hurting Maya, especially if they continued to grow closer and things didn't work out the way they both desired? It was a question that lurked in the back of his mind and haunted him in the moments when he felt their bond growing stronger- like now, on the phone, laughing and flirting with each other, neither one particularly ready to let the other go although they were both running out of time.


	2. Chapter 2

"Well, well Boing- thanks for telling me your schedule for the day. Seems like I got all the info I need. Ok, I'm gonna head back to class now." Maya stated.

"Wait, hold on!" Now it was Josh's turn to stop her from hanging up. He was way too curious about whatever she was scheming to let her end the conversation so abruptly.

"Just give me a hint, Maya. Whatever it is you are planning, k?"

"Um, who said I was planning anything?" She responded innocently.

"Maya? I know you. You are always planning something." _Especially if it concerns me_ , he thought shaking his head in amusement.

"Um, not always. Sometimes a girl just wants to know if her Boing's got Valentines plans with a college witch, that's all."

Josh burst out laughing, immediately remembering how she had referred to Jasmine and Charlotte as witches when she and Riley crashed his small pre-college get-together last year. The irony was that Jasmine and Charlotte ended up taking her side during the encounter and were the ones to encourage her not to give up on him. Now that he thought about it, he owed the two girls a big thank you for that.

He also hadn't missed her quick reference to him as "her Boing." In fact, the current reddening of his cheeks once he heard those words was evidence of that.

"Ok, fine. If you're not going to spill, I'll let you go, but-"

"Again, I've no idea what you're talking about," Maya quickly interjected.

Josh sighed. "Ok well, since you asked me, I was going to ask what you were up to tonight. Are you doing anything special? Got any  _schemes_?"

Maya chuckled. "Nice try Boing. But if you must know, my Valentine's night is going to be pretty simple and scheme-free. Your niece and Ranger-Rick are going on a date—alone. It's a pretty big deal."

"Wait, seriously?" Josh was shocked.

As far as he knew, Riley and Lucas had not gone on a date alone since they officially got together at the ski lodge, mainly due to his crazy brother who couldn't stand his daughter being alone with the cowboy and had committed his entire life to making sure their relationship didn't progress. One time Cory had even called Josh and offered him a hundred bucks if Josh would drop everything he was doing in that moment and go and chaperone Riley and Lucas who were doing their homework together at the Matthews' home.

"Wait, why can't you chaperone?" Josh had asked him.

"Because Topanga and I are going on a date! And the blonde is unavailable! And Texas and Farkly are USELESS! So I have NO ONE to do it! You've GOTTA help me Josh!"

"Um, you're crazy Cor," Josh bluntly told him. "I'm going to hang up now. Good luck."

As much as he could have used the extra cash, Josh wasn't about to go down the rabbit hole of his brother's paranoia when it came to Riley's romantic relationships, and he also wasn't willing to lose his reputation as the cool uncle. What shocked him even more was when he later found out from Topanga that Cory had actually  _cancelled_  his date with his wife that night in order to stay home and chaperone his daughter. As punishment, Topanga didn't speak to Cory for about three days and he had to sleep on the couch for a week.

"So Cory actually approved this date?" Josh asked in shock.

"Uh, no, are you kidding? Matthews knows nothing about this. Although a part of me kinda wish he did. The freak-out would be  _epic_. Like, Ranger Rick might die. But, no, just me, Topanga, my mom and the squad."

"Ha, nii-ce. I really hope he doesn't find out though."

"Nah. We didn't tell Dad so that's good. He would be the one to snitch to his  _Beloved Cor_."

Josh laughed. "True. If Shawn finds out, all hope is definitely lost."

He was still getting used to Maya referring to Shawn as "Dad." It warmed his heart whenever he heard it. He knew how much it meant to Maya to finally have a father figure in her life who loved her and would be there for her Mom as well. He had been overjoyed when Shawn had not only married Katy but officially adopted Maya as well. It marked the beginning of a necessary healing process for Maya and Josh couldn't have been happier that one of her deepest desires- a father who truly loved her and her Mom enough to stay- had finally come true.

"Anyways to answer your question, Riles and Lucas will be off being Rucas, the geniuses will be off experimenting with their Chemistry, so it will just be me and Zay hanging out tonight. Not sure what we will do but he'll come up with something."

Josh had not been expecting that last comment. For a brief moment he was lost for words.

"Oh, I - I see," he finally muttered.

"You ok there? You got real quiet for a sec. Thought the phone cut off." Maya observed.

"Um yeah I'm good." He was starting to feel a little tightness in the pit of his stomach. "Ok it's 10 now. You should probably go."

"Oh  _shoot_ , you're right. I can hear the bell too.  _Crap_ \- I'm going to have to answer  _sooo_  many questions now. Ok gotta go Boing. Will talk to you later, k? Happy birthday! Byeeee!"

"Bye Maya, talk to you later."

He hung up the phone and laid flat on his bed, staring up quietly at the pale white of his dorm room ceiling as his thoughts raced.

_What the hell is wrong with you Joshua Matthews? Why are you feeling like this right now?_  He bit his lip in frustration.  _You are just friends. She has the right to hang out with whoever she wants to hang out with. Who the hell are you to feel uneasy about that? Snap out of it you stupid idiot. You are too old for this!_

He sat up straight on his bed and ran his hand through his hair furiously.  _Ugh, I need a haircut_. He thought randomly to himself. And then almost immediately, as if his memories were taunting him, Zay's words came back to him and started replaying in his subconscious-  _If you care about her like you say you do then you don't want her thinking so much about later that she misses now right?_

_No, no I don't. What do you have in mind?_  That had been his response to Zay at the time of that conversation.

He wanted her to be happy. He wanted her to live her life to the fullest. He didn't want to get in the way of that.

He bit his lip and took a deep breath in an attempt to calm his thoughts.

"Good. It's a good thing that she won't be alone because of Zay," he muttered to himself.  _Even though you really wanted her to spend tonight with you_ \- a little voice whispered in his thoughts but he immediately shut it down. "She is living her life. Now you go live yours, you idiot. Shake it off."

And with that pep talk, he set off to start to his day.


	3. Chapter 3

Josh rushed off to his Organic Chemistry class with only five minutes to spare. He hated being late to Orgo because the professor had an annoying habit of pausing the lecture whenever a student arrived late. This would cause an awkward silence as all the students would stare at the late student until he/she found a seat and the professor resumed teaching. According to the professor, he did this so that his students would get into the habit of arriving on time. Josh found it extremely annoying though and ineffective. Unlike him, some college students didn't really give a crap whether they were late to class (if they bothered to show up at all). And every time the professor paused because of a late student, Josh felt his time being wasted as he sat impatiently waiting for the professor to continue the lecture. Luckily, with a little bit of a power jog, he was able to make it on time and sat at his usual seat in the middle of the lecture hall.

As expected, the professor started the lecture and almost like a robot, immediately stopped talking mid-sentence as soon as two students rolled in five minutes late.  _Unfreaking-believable_ , Josh thought, rolling his eyes. He decided to check his phone for any messages as he waited for his robotic professor to start teaching again.

He immediately noticed happy birthday texts from Cory and Topanga which brought a smile to his face. They must have probably texted him when he was rushing off to class. Morgan, his older sister, had sent him a cute E-card the day before wishing him an early birthday/Valentine's Day.

Eric, his (crazy) older brother, had probably forgotten about his birthday altogether. Last year, Josh received a super weird birthday text from him about a month late:

_Joshie, happy birthday. Don't eat any squirrels today. They are very mistreated. Please save them. Be well brother._

Josh couldn't stop laughing then when he saw the message. He quickly forwarded it to Cory who soon responded with a laugh emoji, followed by a confused and a shrug emoji.

As for his parents, he had spoken to them yesterday. His Mom couldn't wait to wish her baby boy a happy birthday and to recount (as always) the difficult circumstances surrounding his birth. " _Ma_  I've heard this story like a million times." Josh whined gently the minute Amy started telling the story of his premature birth and the respiratory infection he had incurred which almost killed him. "I know honey but I'm just so grateful. I mean to think we almost lost you," Amy responded with a heavy sigh. "It's ok sweetie," Josh heard his dad, Alan, muttering gently in the background as he tried to comfort his emotional wife. "What your Mom is trying to say is that we love you kid. Stop growing up too fast, and come home soon. We miss you. Happy birthday!" This made Josh smile. He quickly assured them that he would be home for Spring break as he was looking forward to catching up with his Philly friends, seeing a Phillies game with his dad and eating some home food.

As much as he didn't relish constantly hearing how he almost died as a baby, he was extremely grateful that he had survived. He treasured his middle name- Gabriel- which meant "God is my strength," and on special occasions, like his birthday, he always made sure to say a silent prayer thanking God for the gift of his life.

His professor had started teaching again, but Josh couldn't bring himself to care anymore. He started scrolling through his Facebook birthday messages- most of them from his high school friends- until he saw a text from Jasmine:

**Jasmine** -  _Hey Josh, happy birthday! Hope you liked the cake! Sorry I couldn't deliver myself- had an assignment due this morning._

**Josh** \- S _orry Jas! Meant to text you earlier. Love the cake! Can't believe you actually remembered my fav. Thanks so much! I do want to KILL your boyfriend however!_

**Jasmine** -  _Uh-oh. What happened?_

**Josh** -  _Hm...I see that he hasn't told you yet. The idiot woke me up with a birthday song that sounded like there were freaking banshees in my room and threw pink confetti all over my room. When I asked him if he was cleaning up, he bolted._

**Jasmine** -  _REALLY? Wow. So he still hasn't cleaned up?!_

**Josh** -  _Nope. Sorry I know you guys had plans tonight, but you might be dateless once I get my hands on him. I apologize in advance :)_

**Jasmine** :  _LMAO. Don't worry about it. But let me handle this. He will have that room cleaned before tonight. Promise. Im really sorry he did that. He was only supposed to deliver the cake. What an idiot!_

**Josh** :  _No worries. Thanks for handling it! Really appreciate it :)_

**Jasmine** :  _I hope this hasn't changed your mind about having lunch with us this afternoon?_

**Josh** :  _Are you kidding? Definitely not. It's free food. I could never say no. Birthdays are great :)_

**Jasmine** : _Lol. Awesome. So see you in an hour at The Square?_

**Josh** :  _Sure! Thanks Jas! Again, really appreciate it :)_

**Jasmine** :  _Of course! It's not everyday our favorite boy turns 18!_

**Josh** : _That's right!_

**Jasmine** : Hahahaha.  _See you soon!_

**Josh** : _See ya!_

_This is turning out to be a great day_ , Josh thought with a big smile on his face. He couldn't wait to see how Jasmine was going to force Andrew to clean up his pink mess. He did know that Andrew will be texting him shortly to complain once Jasmine worked her magic.  _Well-played Matthews_ , he thought with a grin.  _Always have to go through the girlfriend_. Just as he predicted, he felt his phone vibrate a couple minutes later with a desperate text from Andrew.

**Andrew** :  _Yo, I just spoke with Jas. Exactly what did you tell her? She is PISSED. She has CANCELLED our date tonight until I clean up all the confetti! This sucks man._

Josh grinned as he quickly typed a response.

**Josh** :  _Well boohoo you. Isn't life just so difficult for our lil Drew? Tick tock bro. You better get cleaning._

**Andrew** :  _Yoooo...help me out here man. You know how hard it was to get that reservation for tonight. How the hell am I going to clean all that confetti before 7pm?_

**Josh** :  _Aint my problem. You could start by cleaning now?_

**Andrew** :  _Ughh. Dude I got like 2 exams today. Im pretty sure I just failed one and I still have to study for the other one._

**Josh** :  _Aint. My. Problem. The sooner you start, the sooner you will finish. Ill see you for lunch, k ?_

**Andrew** : :(

**Josh** :  _Funny. That looks like my face this morning when you destroyed my hearing and trashed my room. You might want to gift me some hearing aides for my bday._

**Andrew** :  _Sigh... Ill go get cleaning then I s'pose. I worked too hard to make this date happen. Talking about dating, what are you doing tonight hot stuff? I don't recall you mentioning any plans._

Josh rolled his eyes.

**Josh** :  _That's because I don't have any. Probably HW and then Ill watch some Narcos._

**Andrew** : _Yuck. On your birthday and on freaking Valentine's day? Bro, you making me sad. What's Maya doing? Why don't you hit her up? I mean I know you guys are playing that game or whatever but it's your birthday. Im sure she will love to see you right?_

Josh decided not to respond. He turned his attention back to the class and figured he should probably start taking some notes.

_BOING!...Happy birthday Josh! Wishing you lots of happiness today!_ Her words echoed in his mind as he tried to focus on his note-writing.  _So it will just be me and Zay hanging out tonight- not sure what we will do but he will think of something... Sometimes, a girl just wants to know if her Boing's got Valentine's plans with a college witch..._

OH MY GOD- SNAP OUT OF IT! He yelled mentally at himself. He rubbed his hand across his face, as he took in a deep breath and shook his head slightly. Biting down on his lower lip, he tried to ignore the familiar aching, longing sensation that was building in the pit of his stomach the more she invaded his mind.

His phone vibrated again and he quickly glanced at it hoping for any distraction from his thoughts and feelings. Unfortunately for him, it was a message from Andrew who was clearly eager to continue the conversation Josh had attempted to ignore.

**Andrew** :  _Ha, it sure is quiet in here. You could hear a penny drop...I struck a nerve bro? Or you just ignoring me?_

**Josh** :  _Dude, go clean my room. Im in class trying to learn._

**Andrew** :  _Bwahahaha. Ok. Ill drop it- for now. But after my date tonight- we fixing your love life boy. You aint escaping this topic forever._

**Josh** :  _Get lost._

**Andrew** :  _Love you too ❤_

Josh rolled his eyes at the last comment but couldn't help the small smile that appeared on his face. He put his phone aside and tried once again to focus on the lecture with ten more minutes to go. Once class was over, he dashed over to  _The Square,_  a popular deli which was just a short walk from his lecture hall, to have lunch with Andrew and Jasmine. Luckily for him, the conversation was less about him and mainly about Andrew's failed birthday surprise and how he was in danger of going dateless on Valentine's day if he couldn't clean all of the confetti in Josh's room.

"Josh, make sure you check that your room is spotless after he's done. Don't cover for him! In-fact I'm going to come and check for myself when he's done." Jasmine told Josh.

"You got it Ma'am!" Josh answered enthusiastically while Andrew simply sat there quietly shoving a burger into his mouth and looking completely miserable.

After lunch, Josh attended his next class, and then headed off to the library to start his Economics homework. There was no way in hell he was going to help Andrew clean even though he thought about doing it a couple of times. Andrew needed to learn his lesson so that he wouldn't pull a stupid prank like that on him again. And besides, Jasmine would probably find out if he helped Andrew in any way since he was a terrible liar.

He was just about to put his headphones on and fully zone in on his homework when his phone vibrated loudly on the wooden library table. He took a glance at the message sender and immediately felt a sharp burn in his stomach.

It was Maya.

Feeling his heart beginning to race, and his insides warming up, he immediately clicked on the message and read its contents.

**Maya** :  _Boing, there's a little birdie sitting on your shoulder right now. Perhaps, a parrot. Let's call it Maya. Anyways, Parrot Maya is squawking right now. At first you can't hear what she's saying but when you lean closer, you hear clearly something like "Squawkkkk! Boing should go to Topanga's tonight at 7pm! Squawkkkk! Boing should go - Topanga's - TONIGHT - 7pm! Squawwkkk! Maya will kill Boing if Boing is late! Squawwkkk!" And then- after Parrot Maya tells you this, she bites your ear because you are leaning wayy too close to her beak and Parrot Maya doesn't like that. So you scream in pain, and get ready to come to Topanga's. Tonight. 7pm. Don't be late. SQUAWWKKK!_

Josh tried to hold it in. He really did. But it was almost impossible when faced with the comedic genius of Maya Hunter. The laughter simply burst out of him like water emanating from a hose as he read the message a couple more times to make sure he was seeing the words correctly. A couple students who were seated near him in the library shot him dirty looks, but he simply didn't care.

In that moment, he felt like a weight had been lifted off of him. He felt lighter. He felt free. He felt... _relief_.  _Relief that she wanted to be with him. Relief that she had chosen him- again._  The tightness in the pit of his stomach had disappeared and was suddenly replaced by an airy giddiness. For the first time that day- and perhaps in a while- he finally allowed himself to drown in his growing intimacy and friendship with her and the powerful feelings that they were evoking in him, without feeling guilty or scared or doubtful. He simply allowed himself to be happy.


	4. Chapter 4

After his laughter finally subsided, Josh took a quick glance at the time:  **4:30pm**. He still had about a half hour before he had to get ready to go to  _Topanga's_ to meet Maya. Technically he could have used that time to finish his homework, but who was he kidding? There was no way he was getting any work done now. Before gathering his books and exiting the library, he quickly responded to Maya's text:

**Josh** :  _It's been a tough day for my poor ears. First they went deaf, and now it appears I only have one ear due to a very aggressive (and vocal) parrot. Nevertheless, I'll be there. See you soon :)_

Maya responded almost immediately:

**Maya** :  _Sorry about your ear but Parrot Maya is very sensitive about her personal space ;) SQUAWKK!_

Josh grinned, shaking his head slightly. _She's going to be the death of me_ , he thought fondly.

Quickly grabbing his books, he exited the library and immediately dialed his favorite barber near NYU, praying that he was available. It was definitely time to get that haircut he had been putting off for a couple weeks now.

"Hello? Hello? Who this?"

"Hello Juan? Hola! It's me, Josh!"

"Eeeiii, Joshicito! Que pasa, hombre? Long time no see."

"Yeah I know, I've been pretty busy with school. Look Juan, you working now? Please, I need a haircut real fast. I got a place to be at 7."

"Si, si, si, Im here. But I don't know. Very busy today, you know? Lot of people going on date for Valentine. What's up with you muchacho, you got date too?"

Josh hesitated for a second before responding. "If I say yes, will I get that haircut now?"

"Si, si, por su puesto Joshicito! I want you to look good, hombre! Felicidades, eh! But what time you coming? My next guy coming in 10 minutes. You don't come before him you gon have to wait cos lot of people here now. But if you come before, I just tell him he is late, you know?" Juan laughed.

Josh grinned. "Yeah I hear you. Ok, I'm coming right now. I will be there in 5 minutes! Muchas Gracias Juan!"

"De nada Joshicito! See you soon! Can't wait to hear all about the lucky girl, hombre!"

Josh laughed and hung up. This is why he loved Juan. He was the kind of barber who would bend over backwards for him when it came to hair emergencies. He couldn't be more grateful for having found him a few months ago when he had been looking for an affordable and good barber near his school. It was a 20-minute walk to Juan's barbershop from campus, but he was going to do everything in his power to cut that down to 5. Stuffing his phone in his jacket pocket, he started running.

Two hours later, sporting his fresh, new haircut (which he quickly buried underneath his black beanie the minute he stepped outside into the chilly Wednesday evening) with his favorite plaid shirt, blue Levi's jeans, and hooded, black leather jacket, Josh started making the 25-minute walk to  _Topanga's_ cafe. He could have taken the subway, but he still had a half hour to get there and he wanted to clear his head (and his emotions) with some fresh air.  _The butterflies in his stomach that multiplied with every step that he took towards her…the growing anticipation and excitement at the mere thought of seeing her in just a few minutes…his racing heart which felt like it was about to burst from his chest whenever he thought about her_ …It was all overwhelming for him. The truth, if he was being honest with himself, was that he had never felt anything quite like this for any other girl in his 18 years of life thus far.

He thought about how he had felt when she first told him that she was hanging out with Zay that evening. He had been saddened and jealous. There was no point denying that to himself now. He had been filled with an uncomfortable emptiness and jealousy when the realization hit him that even though she knew he was free, she was going to spend her evening with someone else. He had forced himself to go through his day burying those negative emotions…to be mature about it all…to simply not care. But that ended up being impossible, because he  _did_  care- a lot. His reaction to her text message in the library showed him just how much he cared. That's when it hit him how much his feelings for her had grown significantly in their month-long span of playing the long game with every phone call, text message and in-person interaction they had shared.

He also couldn't ignore the fact that he was essentially treating his impending encounter with her as a date, even though he tried to tell himself that he  _wasn't_  doing that. He told himself that he went above and beyond to get that haircut because he really needed it, or that he bought her a small bouquet of roses from a street vendor because it was a nice thing for him to do for her on Valentine's day, or that this meetup with her would be no different than the last time he had seen her three weeks ago at the Matthews. But he knew better. Things  _were_  different- at least as far as his feelings were concerned.

He wasn't sure what all of this ultimately meant for their long game. What he hadn't really accounted for was the change in their emotions as the long game progressed. Was it possible to still be friends and maintain an appropriate distance the closer they grew emotionally? He felt very strongly that he shouldn't have been bothered by her wanting to spend time with Zay that evening for example—but he was. His growing feelings for her were something he feared he couldn't control, and that concerned him, because the last thing he wanted to do was to hurt her ultimately by holding her back from her life or getting in her way.

He saw her before she saw him. As he inched closer to the café, he glimpsed her through the glass window where the _Topanga's_  sign was inscribed. She was leaning against the counter and looking at her phone, her wavy blonde hair perfectly shaping her heart-shaped face, and a small smile playing on her lips. Her red dress was a perfect match with the Valentine's themed decor of the cafe.

Josh stood there for a minute simply gazing at her through the glass. It had always been hard for him to take his eyes off her. She was gorgeous. She always had been.

Last two Christmases when she had bombarded him at the Matthews as a wide-eyed, mischievous 13 year old with a tight hug calling him "Uncle Josh," she had rendered him speechless as he gazed into her blue eyes. It took him a few seconds to find his voice, and when he did, only two phrases came out: "I'm not your uncle, Maya," and "You grew up gorgeous." He hadn't been blind to her beauty and charm as an awkward 16 year old then, and he certainly wasn't blind to her now. If anything, his attraction to her had only grown stronger the more he had gotten to know her over the past two years.

When he was finally able to look away from her for a second, he quickly realized that she was the only one inside the cafe- which Josh found odd- until he spotted the "CLOSED" sign that was hanging on the door.  _Ha, they closed early...I wonder why_ , he thought, surprised. Valentine's Day would have been a busy and profitable evening. A lot of young couples and friends would have probably stopped by. He wasn't sure why Topanga would choose to close early.

He turned his attention back to Maya who was still unaware of his presence outside the cafe as she continued to stare amusingly at her phone. Josh tried to see if he could somehow walk in quietly and sneak up on her, but the door was locked, so that idea was no good. Instead, he took out his phone and started typing:

**Josh** :  _You know, I'm freezing my bum off out here, and my one ear is not doing so good. Remember the REALLY violent parrot who attacked me for no good reason? I'm thinking about suing. Anyways, perhaps any time now, you could let me in? Wouldn't that be great?! :)_

He immediately turned to look at her as soon as he clicked send, waiting for her to see it. Within a few seconds, he saw her chuckle and then lift her gaze from her phone to look towards Josh's direction. As soon as their eyes met, she gave him the biggest smile he had ever seen. Josh couldn't help but smile widely back as he pointed to his ear and then made a mock sad face. Maya started laughing when she saw that. She quickly ran to the door, flung it open and skipped over to where Josh was standing by the window.

"BOING! SURPRISE! Happy birthday!" She cried out excitedly as she stood barely an inch from him and bounced up and down with giddiness.

"Thanks Maya," Josh beamed fondly at her, his heart soaring when he saw how excited she was to see him.

She slowly spread out her arms wide, looked up at him with imploring eyes and murmured in a child-like voice: "Mr. Bo-yiiing, huggy time?  _Pweassse_?"

Josh grinned, his heart racing, as he stood drowning in her piercing, ocean-blue gaze. Every fiber of his being itched to close the gap between them and wrap her in his arms. He couldn't resist messing with her a little though.

"Hmm...I don't know if _huggy_  time is such a good idea for Mr. Boing. I mean, it's my ear going to be safe? Mr. Boing is scared, you see? He's been through a lot of trauma."

Maya grinned, shaking her head in amusement and her arms still spread wide waiting for her hug. "You're never going to let this ear thing go are you?" She inquired.

"No-pe," Josh quickly responded, shaking his head vigorously. "Mr. Boing not safe. He must avoid Parrot Maya. He has no idea why the heck he even came here," Josh intoned in a robotic voice.

Maya giggled at Josh's words, and then with a wide smile on her face and a gleam in her eyes, she slowly closed the gap between them, wrapping her arms around his waist and looking up at him adoringly. Josh stood still, transfixed by her gaze and her beauty, as he instinctively wrapped his arms around her as well bringing her closer to him.

"You came here because you couldn't stay away from the awesomeness of Parrot Maya, just as Parrot Maya could never stay away from the awesomeness of you," Maya said softly as she stared into his eyes. "I'm glad you're here Josh, and I'm really thankful that you're in my life. Happy birthday." She beamed at him.

Upon hearing her words and seeing the sincerity in her eyes as she spoke them, Josh was on cloud nine. His heart soared with an immense elation and peace that he couldn't even begin to describe. In that moment, everything else disappeared for him, and his whole world simply became  _her- her face, her eyes, her smile, her hair, her voice, her words_...He was in  _deep_  and there was no going back, he suddenly realized. But in that moment, with Maya in his arms, he was more than okay with that. For the first time since they started playing the long game, Josh was filled with an overwhelming desire to kiss her- on the lips. But he held back. Instead, he brushed back a few locks of her hair tenderly tucking them behind her ear, then leaning in, he placed a gentle, caressing kiss on her forehead.

When he pulled back, Maya had a goofy smile on her face and her cheeks had turned crimson red. It was the most adorable thing Josh had ever seen.

"You know, you could go further down," Maya observed, pointing to her lips and making a kissing motion. "Not sure why you stopped, but you know you wanna."

Josh started laughing as he also began turning red.

"Thanks for spending your evening with me, Maya," he said to her softly after his laughter subsided. "And I'm also very thankful to have you in my life. Let's just say that you're pretty good at keeping things interesting," he said with a wink which made Maya laugh. "Oh, and speaking of being thankful, I have something for you," Josh said as he pulled out the bouquet of roses he had gotten for her and presented them. "Found these on my way here. Happy Valentine's day Maya."

"Hihihihi," Maya giggled with childish giddiness as she took the flowers and brought them to her nose to catch a whiff. "They're beautiful," she said smiling. "Thank you Josh." She quickly moved to embrace him again.

Josh secured his arms around her and rested his chin on her hair as he inhaled the sweet aroma of her shampoo. For a few minutes, they stood there in each other's embrace, neither one reluctant to let go of the other. It wasn't until Josh felt her shiver from the cold that he loosened the embrace.

"We should probably get inside first before you freeze to death, kiddo" He told her, pointing her attention to the fact that they were still standing by the window outside the cafe and she wasn't wearing a jacket.

"Nah, it's ok," Maya muttered as she wrapped her arms even tighter around him and buried her face in his chest. "It's pretty warm here. And it smells good too!" She said as Josh felt her sniffing his cologne.  _Oh Maya_ , he thought, shaking his head with amusement and chuckling.

"Ok I guess this means I'm going to have to pull off a classic cliche in every Romantic Comedy," Josh said with a heavy sigh. "Alas, it's inevitable. I hope there are no cameras to capture this super cheesy moment," he whispered pretending to look around for hidden cameras before taking off his jacket and putting it around her.

Maya's eyes shone as she happily secured the jacket around her small frame instantly enjoying the warmth that it provided, but mostly enjoying the fact that it came from Josh. "Yay! Can I get the beanie too?" She asked him shyly. Josh stared at her in disbelief.

"Seriously? You might as well take everything Ms. Hunter. This beanie is  _very_  important to me. I don't give it to anybody. Sorry, no can't do." He crossed his arms and shook his head vigorously.

Maya made a sad face, as she pouted and stared up at him with large, sad, quivering eyes.  _Oh God_ , Josh thought as he reluctantly removed his beanie and gently placed it on her head. Maya burst out laughing.

"Oh wow, that was very little resistance there Boing," she teased him.

"Well, when you look at me like that..." He trailed off smiling as he scratched the back of his head nervously.

"Awww thanks Boing. Ok we can go inside now," she said taking his hand.

_We are so past friendship now_ , he thought to himself as he stared at their clasped hands. What would this all ultimately mean for their long game? It was something that they would have to figure out. In the meantime, Josh forced himself to not worry about it as they both crossed the threshold and entered into the warmth of the cafe.


	5. Chapter 5

"So how come  _Topanga's_  closed so early?" Josh asked as soon as they entered the cafe and he found a seat by one of the tables. "I mean it's already decorated for the occasion," he glanced around at the red hearts and flowers that were surrounding them. "So why close early?"

Maya simply smiled in response as she placed a glass of water in-front of him, and a piece of paper with "Menu" written on it.

"Ooh, what's this?" Josh asked curiously, his eyebrows raised.

"I will be serving you today," Maya explained as she sat down across from him and folded her hands professionally on the table in front of her. "Figured I could use more practice with this waitressing thing. So it's your lucky day Boing. Not every customer gets to experience the  _Maya touch_." She beamed at him.

"Oh wow, I see." Josh nodded with a huge grin on his face as he glanced at the items on Maya's menu and then started chuckling. "Um, you only have three items on this menu."

"That's right," Maya responded with a serious and slightly mischievous expression on her face.

"So, how does this work? Do I choose one item to order or-?"

"Nope. You choose all of them," She explained excitedly. "So first you have to choose your beverage, the  _Boing Black Coffee_ , and then you choose your entree,  _Penne a la Vodka_ , and then you choose your dessert, the  _Boing Brownie_. That's going to be your personalized service for tonight."

Josh couldn't stop smiling as he continued to scrutinize the menu. In the middle of it was Maya's cursive handwriting which showcased the three meal choices in black ink. Then, near the border of the menu were various little drawings she had made in red ink as decoration- flowers, hearts, the  _Topanga's_  logo and a beanie with the letters NYU written on it (which she was currently wearing).

He was impressed and touched by the level of detail, creativity and effort that Maya had put into celebrating his birthday. What he had expected when he got her text was a simple hangout at _Topanga's_. What he was currently experiencing was on a whole other level, and if he was being honest with himself, it was quickly turning out to be a memorable birthday thanks to her thoughtfulness and expertise planning.

"Wow, this is pretty neat, Maya," he said pointing to the menu. "I'm really impressed. I mean, when did you have time to plan all of this?" He asked.

"Well..." Maya responded with a huge grin on her face, "Let's just say things started coming together after I called you this morning."

"Wait, you didn't go back to class after we spoke?" Josh asked.

"Of course I did," Maya said. "I just didn't pay any attention. You know, had a birthday to plan. Priorities." She shrugged with a smile.

Josh chuckled as he shook his head in amusement. "Well, I really appreciate all your effort," he said, "but as the older and wiser man that I am, I must really encourage you Ms. Hunter to take your classes more seriously. You should be paying attention at all times."

"Ugh,  _stop_. You are starting to sound like your brother.  _Not_  attractive." Maya retorted while squinting her face in disgust.

Josh laughed. "Good point. I'm ruining my cool factor. I'll shut up now."

"Atta boy," Maya nodded with a smile giving him a thumbs up. "Anyways," she continued, "you wanted to know why  _Topanga's_  closed early? Take a guess."

Josh thought for a moment before responding, "You arranged for it to close early so we could meet up."

"Bingo! See, this is why you graduated high school early! _So_  smart!"

Josh chuckled. "How did you convince Topanga to do it though? I mean, we could have still met up here without it closing."

"Yeah but would it have been  _as_  special? She said it was her birthday gift to you. That's why she agreed."

"Seriously?" Josh asked, surprised.

"Yeah," Maya responded with a smile.

"Wow," Josh muttered. "That's really sweet of her."

He had always been fond of Topanga, having always seen her as a second older sister. He had early childhood memories of Topanga babysitting him, playing with him or baking him his favorite cookies during Christmas whenever she and Cory visited. He loved her just as much as he loved his siblings and he had always known that the feeling was mutual. He remembered when Topanga had asked him to be Auggie's godfather after Auggie was born. It had been one of his proudest moments. He was only 12 at the time so he certainly hadn't been expecting it. He had just gotten back from school when his parents told him he had a call from Topanga and Cory. When he picked up the phone, Topanga was the one to break the news to him.

"Really?" He remembered asking shockingly. "You guys don't think I'm too young?"

"Of course not Sweetie!" Topanga had responded. "We couldn't think of an awesomer Matthews- apart from your brother of course but he's out of the running- to be Auggie's godfather. You're not too young Josh. And I know you will be a great role model for Auggie."

He couldn't help the smile on his face the rest of the day after hearing those words from her. He had grown up trying to get used to the fact that he was simply "too young" whenever it came to relating to his older siblings. Being the baby in the family had its perks but it also had its frustrations and insecurities. His constant need to prove himself in everything he did was the result of one of those insecurities. What he had always loved and respected about Topanga was that she never treated him as "the baby Matthews," and her choosing him as Auggie's godfather at such a young age validated that. It was a moment he would always cherish, just like the moment she invited him to chaperone the ski lodge trip a month ago which ended up practically changing his life, or  _this_   _moment_ , when she chose his personal happiness over the profit her business would have made on one of the busiest date nights of the year. He couldn't be more grateful for having Topanga as his sister-in-law.

"I'm surprised she did that but I really shouldn't be," he admitted to Maya. "Thanks for letting me know."

"Of course," Maya said. "You owe her a big thank you, and probably, free waiter services for like a month."

"I do," Josh nodded.

"You also have to thank my Mom," Maya said.

"Wow, this was a big operation by the ladies," Josh observed amusingly. "What did Katy do?"

"Um, provide us dinner so we wouldn't starve," Maya said with a grin. "And on very short notice too."

"Oh, the  _Penne a la Vodka_!" Josh exclaimed glancing back at the menu. "I was actually going to ask if you made that."

"Uh no. Me no cook." Maya stated, shaking her head vigorously. "Trust me, you don't want me in the kitchen."

"It's actually not that hard. Pasta is like one of the easiest things to make."

"Uh no." Maya stated strongly, again. "Just no. You should be glad that I made sure not to kill you tonight seeing as it's your birthday and all. The food should be safe." She smiled. Josh grinned, shaking his head. "Alright, Ill let go of this topic  _for now_." He said giving her a look which indicated that he was going to revisit it again in the near future. "And yes, Ill make sure to thank your Mom. I'm curious about the guys though. I'm guessing they don't know about this?" Josh asked.

"Uh no," Maya responded. "Are you kidding me? They would be barging in here right now trying to run you out of town."

Josh laughed as he pictured the scene. "Yeah, that's probably true," he admitted with a sigh.

"I mean, do you  _want_  them to know about this?" Maya asked him curiously.

Josh took a moment to reflect on whether he was ready to share his somewhat complicated love life with the dynamic duo- Cory and Shawn. He knew he would have to face them eventually, especially if things kept progressing between him and Maya, but he just wasn't ready. He hadn't even completely figured out his feelings yet.

"Nah," he quickly responded, "Not yet."

Maya laughed. "That's what I thought."

"So wait," Josh said still trying to make sense of how Maya had planned their time together, "when you mentioned that you were hanging out with Zay tonight, was that not accurate?"

Maya gave him a teasing smile. "My lips are sealed. Figure it out college boy."

Josh ran his hand lightly through his hair, leaned back on his chair and thought for a few seconds before the realization suddenly hit him.

"Oh wow, I'm an idiot," he whispered almost to himself as he placed his palm over his eyes in embarrassment and shook his head slightly.

"Light-bulb moment?" Maya teased.

"Yeah, a big one," Josh agreed. "You said the Zay thing to throw me off, so I wouldn't figure out that you were actually up to something for my birthday."

"Have I ever I told you that you are  _really smart_? Because you are. Just so  _quick_  and  _sharp_ ," Maya said in a sarcastic tone as she snapped her fingers at him.

"Shut up," Josh responded with a grin when he sensed her sarcasm.

She laughed. "You fell for that so easily though!" She said teasing him.

"Well yeah, I mean how was I supposed to know you were lying? You guys  _do_  hang out. It made sense!" Josh attempted to defend himself as Maya slowly shook her head.

"Oh Boing, Boing, Boing," she said gazing at him affectionately. "I called you this morning for two reasons. To wish you a happy birthday and to find out your plans. I will  _never, ever in a gazillion years_ \- if I ever do then that's when you should know I've lost my  _purtty lil mind_ \- pass up an opportunity to be with you. Just sayin'," She rested her chin on her hand as she continued to gaze at him with a playful smile on her lips.

Josh bit his bottom lip as he felt his heart racing upon hearing her words and seeing her still wearing his beanie, the "NYU" letters emblazoned on her forehead as her hair cascaded down from underneath. The sight was almost too much for him.

"You're right. I should have known," he finally managed to speak. "For the millionth time tonight Maya, thanks for everything."

"Awww you're welcome," she beamed. "I do want to address one thing though," she said with a sly grin.

"Oh? What is it?"

"Your _very, very_  sad reaction when I told you that I was hanging out with Zay tonight."

Josh raised his eyebrows and on instinct started scratching the back of his head nervously. "I have no idea what you're talking about," he mumbled as he looked anywhere else but at Maya.

" _Really_? Oh, this is going to be fun!" Maya exclaimed as she rubbed her hands together gleefully, her eyes shining. "Ok, we can do this in two ways Boing. Either, you just tell me the truth  _now_  and save yourself from extreme embarrassment OR I bring you a piece of paper and crayons- you know like in kindergarten- and you can draw your feelings out! A  _sad_  face for when I told you I was gonna be hanging with Zay, and then a happy face for when I texted you! What's your choice?"

"Oh God," Josh mumbled as he could feel his face heating up already from embarrassment. He still couldn't help grinning in amusement however at Maya's persistence and prying.

"Can there be a third option where we just...oh I don't know- forget about all this and enjoy our  _magical_  evening together?" He asked.

Maya burst out laughing, which made Josh laugh as well. "Good one Boing! Nice try, but NO. Either you fess up or I bring you crayons. Tick tock. Time's running out." She said.

Josh sighed heavily knowing that he was going to lose the battle if he kept pushing back. The sooner he gave her the information she was looking for, the sooner she would let it go.

"Ok, bring me the crayons," he said with a sigh.

"Seriously?" Maya responded in shock. She had not been expecting that choice.

"Yeah. Life was a lot less complicated in kindergarten. Maybe this will help me go back to those glorious days," Josh mused.

"Aww, adorable," Maya cooed as she reached over into her bag for a crayon and a piece of drawing paper. "Here, I'm going to start it off for you," She said. She took the crayon and wrote in block letters on the page:  **BEFORE MAYA'S TEXT / AFTER MAYA'S TEXT**. "Ok here ya go, Sweetie," She handed him the paper and crayon. "Express yourself!"

"In the meantime, anything I can get you to drink, Sir?" She asked, immediately switching into waitress mode. Josh was amazed at how quickly she could switch gears from one personality to the next. Her vivaciousness was infectious.

"Um, yes actually," he cleared his throat and glanced at the "menu" she had given him earlier. "Could I please get a  _Boing Black Coffee_? Thanks so much."

"Sure. Will be right back, Sir," Maya said sweetly and started heading towards the counter to make the coffee. When Josh spun around to watch her walking off, the idea hit him and he simply couldn't resist putting it into action.

"Oh, Miss? Sorry, what's your name?" Josh called after her, as he pretended to be a stranger.

Maya turned around, raising her eyebrows slightly, almost to ask what the heck he was up to, but deciding to play along with his pretense. "Uhh, Maya," she answered.

"Oh, that's a really cute name. Now, I was wondering Maya," Josh got up and took a couple steps towards her, "if I could have a little bit of your time after your shift is over. You know, to get to know each other a little better. My name is Josh by the way," he flashed her his sweetest smile. "So, what d'you think?" He leaned in close to her so that their faces were mere inches apart. "Think I could order that?" He whispered softly with a wink of his eye.

Maya blushed profusely as she stood there speechless for a few seconds, her mouth wide open in complete shock. Josh watched her try once to say something but no words came out. And then she started giggling uncontrollably. She tried to cover her mouth and stifle the giggles but that only made it worse. Josh lost it at that point. He burst out laughing as he watched her make several attempts to stop the high-pitched, giggle sounds that were emanating from her mouth.

"Oh wow, are you okay?" Josh asked her in between bouts of laughter.

"NO!" She screeched as she made one last brave attempt to calm herself down by covering her mouth with both hands and breathing in deeply.

Josh couldn't believe his eyes as he continued to watch her reaction with amusement. He had expected her to react to his unexpected flirting but this was way beyond what he had imagined, and it was extremely hilarious.  _Dang it. I should have recorded this._  He thought to himself.

"Um, you ok?" He asked concernedly as he walked over to check on her. She was leaning against the counter, her back towards him, and apparently practicing some breathing exercises as she kept inhaling and exhaling slowly. Occasionally, a giggle here and there will pop out, but for the most part, she had calmed down.

"Atta kiddo," Josh muttered soothingly as he patted her back gently. "It's going to be ok. Maybe you need some water?" Maya shot him a dirty look which made him start laughing again.

"What you do  _that_  for?!" She screeched at him after she had finally calmed down. Josh grinned at her and shrugged. "You said you wanted some practice with waitressing. People  _do_  flirt with waitresses.  _Especially_ , the pretty ones. I figured you should be prepared for what you might be facing someday."

"Well you could have at least given me  _some_  warning. I  _almost_  didn't survive!" Maya said as she grabbed a glass of water to drink and calm her nerves.

Josh laughed. "Yeah well, I wasn't expecting _that_  reaction. Darn, I shoulda filmed it." He muttered regretfully, shaking his head.

"I would have  _killed_  you!" Maya yelled.

Josh grinned. "It was cute though seeing you like that. Extremely hilarious and slightly scary at times- I wasn't sure at some point if you were going to make it to be honest- but still cute," he said.

Maya stuck her tongue out at him which made him laugh. "I'm gonna get you back for this." She threatened him playfully as she started making his coffee.

"You've already gotten me back," Josh responded. "Remember this?" He handed her the drawing paper on which she had made him draw out his feelings with the crayons. Below the  **"BEFORE MAYA'S TEXT"**  section, he had drawn a large sad face and underneath the  **"AFTER MAYA'S TEXT"**  section was a big smiley face. "I could have probably tapped more into my extraordinary artistic abilities but I think this will have to do for now," Josh joked.

Maya started grinning from ear to ear when she saw the drawings. She stared at them for a few seconds before looking up at Josh with a warm smile. "You know, I'm keeping this  _foreva_."

"Oh I know," Josh chuckled shaking his head as he sat back down on his chair. "But I'm hoping that we are even now? I don't have to be looking over my shoulder after I leave here tonight, right?"

"Nope. We are all good!" Maya gave him a thumbs up and then walked over to hand him his coffee.

"Here you go, Sir. One  _Boing Black Coffee_. I hope you enjoy!" She said brightly.

"Why, thank you, Miss," Josh responded. He immediately took a sip, savoring the flavor in his mouth for a few seconds, before swallowing. "Mmm,  _absolutely delicious_ ," he said, before drinking more.

" _Yuck_ ," Maya said as she sat across from him with a small cup of tea in her hands. "I can't understand how you can drink your coffee like that. It's _so_  bitter."

" _This_  is the best thing ever," Josh replied pointing to the coffee. "This has gotten me through so many exams and papers like you couldn't believe. The sugars and creams just ruin it for me. Come on, you should try it," he held out his coffee to her. "Nope. I'm good," Maya made a face, and started sipping her tea.

"You're missing outtt," Josh said in a sing-song voice and continued downing the rest of the coffee.

For a brief moment, they remained quiet as they sipped their beverages, enjoying the peaceful ambiance of the empty cafe and the warmth of each other's presence. In the silence, Josh's eyes and thoughts roamed all over, but inevitably, they always settled on her. It was something that he simply couldn't help. It had always been hard for him  _not_  to notice her. He still tried to make his glances and stares not too obvious though by pretending to focus on something else whenever he sensed her gaze on him.

"You know, earlier, when you leaned in really close," Maya said softly, breaking the silence between them, "I - I thought you were finally going to kiss me." She bit her bottom lip gently and started twiddling her thumbs- a habit Josh had noticed she engaged in whenever she was feeling nervous. "That's why I got so...giggly," She smiled nervously. This made Josh smile as well. "I know we are not a couple, and we are playing the long game but, if - if you ever want to kiss me Josh, just know that you don't have to be scared, or hold back," She gazed into his eyes. "I, um, I would really like my first kiss to be with you. Just thought you should know," She smiled shyly at him.

Josh sat quietly, completely frozen, as he gazed at the one girl who had managed within the span of a year to dominate his thoughts, his emotions and capture his heart. Everything else before her had pretty much been trial and error. Yes, he had had feelings for other girls before but they had been more or less superficial or hormonally driven. He was old enough now to know what the real thing felt like, and also to know that he wasn't going to settle for anything less.  _She_  was real. _This_  was real. But he was scared. Kissing her  _now_  could change everything. It could destroy the boundary that he had carefully constructed since the ski lodge in his attempt to protect her from potentially getting hurt by him, from not getting the chance to grow... to fully discover the nature of her feelings, what felt  _real_  to her...to find herself...She was still too young. The age difference still mattered, for now.  _But who the hell was he to deny her her first kiss? Who the hell was he to keep holding on to her, leading her on, reciprocating her feelings, seeing her vulnerability, breathing in her innocence, hearing her pour out her heart to him, and after all that, denying her her heart's desire? Her one request? Wouldn't he be hurting her even more?_

_Stop overthinking it, you idiot_ \- he felt an inner voice whisper deep down within him.  _She deserves to be happy. And so do you._

Gathering some courage from those words, he felt himself slowly unfreeze and his legs propel him across the table to where Maya was seated, cup of tea clasped in her hands, her eyes trailing his every move with breathless anticipation. He sat down facing her. Then, gazing unflinchingly into her eyes, he finally allowed himself to open up to her in a way that he hadn't done since they started playing the long game.

"I  _really_  like you Maya Hunter," he said to her softly. "And I certainly do not deserve to be your first kiss. I don't deserve  _you_ , period. You have no idea how amazing you are- in every way. And how lucky I've felt this past month to be in your life. Like I said, I don't deserve you..." His voice trailed off as he noticed Maya's eyes slowly fill with tears, the blue firmament within slowly transforming into a raging ocean.

"I'm sorry," he found himself apologizing. "I didn't mean to make you cry- I, um, I'm gonna stop talk-"

" _Joshua Gabriel Matthews_ ," Maya cut him off.

"Uh-oh," Josh responded nervously, " _the full name_ \- I'm really in trouble now aren't I?"

"Not yet," Maya grinned. "But if you don't start kissing me in the next five seconds, then you're really going to-" her words were cut off by the warm sensation of his lips on hers and a jolt of electricity that shot through her insides.

It was a chaste, gentle kiss- one that suddenly reminded her of a soft, cool breeze on a hot summer day when she sat, legs dangling, in his tree-house in Philly as he excitedly explained to her the mechanics of building a tree-house. Her six year old mind hadn't understood much of what he was saying or some of the big words that he would occasionally use. But she still listened to him with rapt attention and curiosity, as he rambled on. He was a welcome, cool breeze on a warm summer day, and even as a six year old, she could never get enough of him.


	6. Chapter 6

"Wow, I could definitely get used to this," Maya stated excitedly with a silly grin on her face after Josh finally pulled away from their seven-second long kiss.

He smiled in response and scratched the back of his head nervously as he leaned back on his chair. His emotions were in complete overdrive, and he tried to do his best to calm them down as their kiss kept replaying in his hippocampus and his heart raced. He had a feeling it would be on replay for a long while to come.

 

"You know, a second one right about now wouldn't hurt. It's not like anyone's around..." Maya suggested with a wink.

 

Josh chuckled, shaking his head slowly. "Patience, Ms. Hunter. Patience." He chided her gently.

 

"Now that's a word that's not in my vocabulary. Never been good at it. You should know!" Maya retorted.

"Oh, I do," Josh nodded as he immediately recalled the various times that Maya had impatiently pursued him despite his initial rejections of her romantic advances. "But I'm glad you didn't find it too terrible," Josh stated shyly.

 

"What? The kiss?" Maya responded, looking shocked. "Are you kidding me? It was far from terrible. I mean, compared to Farkle hand-kissing me on the subway, I would say this was pretty darn perfect for an actual first kiss," She grinned.

 

"Wait, what?!" It was Josh's turn to be shocked.

 

"Oh yeah, I never told you," Maya burst out laughing as she recalled the memory. "Farkle kissed my hand- very passionately I must add- like a year ago when we were in the subway. That was pretty much my first kissing experience. Actually, wait, you were there!"

 

"Huh?" Josh asked, feeling confused.

 

"Remember that day on the subway when you got dumped by that girl from NYU who was 3 years older than you, and then we started talking? Remember my dungeon of sadness?"

 

"Oh my God, yeah!" Josh exclaimed excitedly as he recalled the memory. "A little correction though. Technically, I didn't get dumped because she and I were never together. I think the word you're looking for is, rejected."

 

"Tomayto, Tomahto. Same thing. But whatever helps you sleep at night, Boing," Maya said teasingly as she took a long sip of her now cold tea. Josh chuckled softly at her teasing before questioning her further. "So, when did the Farkle hand-kissing happen? Before or after we spoke?"

 

"After," Maya responded. "You got off the train when you reached your stop, so I guess you weren't around when it actually happened. But anyways, Riley kissed Lucas- their first kiss- and then Farkle wanted to um, do the same with me. I held up my hand to block him, and then, the next thing I knew, he was kissing my hand. I was actually pretty impressed." She smiled fondly at the memory. "Those were the good ole days when we were all so young and innocent," she mused to herself. This made Josh laugh. "You guys are still pretty young and innocent," he said. "Trust me."

 

"Hm, I don't know about that," Maya responded with a hint of sarcasm in her voice. "I mean, here I am kissing this really old guy who is like, wait for it, THREE years older than me! I mean, can you believe it?! Just so wild and rebellious. I think I've lost all my innocence from that one kiss!"

 

Josh chuckled softly as he bit his bottom lip in amusement and gazed affectionately at her. "Ok fine, I get it. I probably shouldn't have made too many 'I'm three years older than you' excuses back then. They were kind of tacky." He said.

 

"No comment," Maya said with a sly grin as she went back to sipping her tea.

 

Feeling amused, Josh chuckled some more as he ran his hand lightly through his hair. His amusement quickly dissipated though when he suddenly remembered Maya's "dungeon of sadness" reference which had been a key part of their brief conversation a year ago on the subway. Back then, he hadn't really taken her comments too seriously. He had still been reeling from the embarrassment of having been rejected so strongly by Sophie, his NYU tour guide. But now, thinking back on the episode, he wished he had taken Maya's admission of her "dungeon of sadness" more seriously.

 

As far as he could observe, Maya always tried to appear strong and fearless because of her fierce desire to protect Riley, and the rest of her friends, at all costs. She rarely showed her vulnerability or weaknesses for fear that if her loved ones knew, they would worry too much about her. She was the kind of soul who would bury her pain if it meant that those she loved would be happy. But, he had always been an exception, he realized. She had always been incredibly blunt, open and honest with him, even when he had repeatedly dismissed her feelings in the past. Nothing seemed to faze her. She would always come back, like a yo-yo, pouring out her heart to him almost as easily as she could breathe. In the past, he hadn't been able to fully appreciate the special window she seemed to have granted him into her heart. But he certainly appreciated it now.

 

"So, is it still there? The dungeon of sadness?" He asked her softly, hoping that just as in the past, she would be completely open with him now.

 

She hesitated for a moment, seemingly caught off guard by his question, before giving him a response. "Um, yeah…" She paused for a few seconds to think before elaborating, "Well, it's not as big or as powerful as it used to be. I mean, I have a dad now which is nice, and you're not in it anymore- which is really nice," she smiled widely at him. He couldn't help but smile widely back, his insides warming up with his affection for her. "That stupid triangle ended, thank God," she continued, "and Riley and I are fine...so yeah, it's all nice and quiet in there now. I just need to make sure it stays that way- that nothing changes," she looked at him with a determined look on her face.

 

Josh felt his heart break for her when he heard her last comment. He was filled with an overwhelming desire to protect her- to shield her from a world where change was practically the only thing that was guaranteed. It was not realistic that the things she hoped would never change would always stay the same. But no matter what happened, he made a quiet resolution to himself to always be there for her...to be strong for her when she was weak...to never let her succumb to her dungeon of sadness, no matter how strong or powerful it became.

 

"Promise me one thing Maya," he said to her softly.

 

"What? To be your girlfriend? Yes, Boing. A hundred times, yes!" Maya interjected with a wide, playful grin. Josh burst out laughing, having been caught completely off guard by her remark. Shaking his head slowly, he tried to ignore his heated, reddening face.

 

"That- wasn't quite what I was going to say," he said as his laughter finally subsided.

 

"I know," Maya responded, "but if it was what you were going to say, the answer is a big, fat-"

 

"Ok!" Josh interrupted her, "Can you shush for like 10 seconds? Just 10, and then you can start yapping again, k?"

 

"No-pe," Maya playfully shook her head as she continued teasing him, "You know, a proposal works too!" Josh's eyes nearly popped out of his head when he heard this. "The answer will be yes of course," Maya continued. "If you need ring suggestions, you can always let me know."

 

"Oh my God, Maya, you're killing me." Josh muttered as he laid his head on the table trying to hide his now bright, tomato-pinkish face so that Maya wouldn't tease him about it. Of course, it also didn't help that he now couldn't get the image of Maya in a wedding gown out of his head.

 

"Oh no, you can't die on me now, Boing! We need to get married first!" She piped out.

 

"O-kay! That's it!" Josh shot up from his chair, ready to take action. Maya watched him with wide-eyed amusement, extremely curious as to what he was going to do to shut her up.

 

He slowly walked towards her, squatted down in front of her, and with a sneaky smile, gently covered her mouth with his palm. "No more talking, kiddo. You're done."

 

"But-but- I can thil tawk lak dis," Maya said, her words muffled by Josh's hand as she stubbornly kept trying to speak. Josh gazed at her with a mixture of immense amusement and affection.

  
"Ok, well," he said to her softly, "let's see how much you're still talking after I do this." He slowly removed his hand from her mouth and then leaned in till his lips were extremely close to hers. He could hear her gasp as she instinctively closed her eyes, waiting in anticipation. For a nanosecond, he thought about teasing her by pulling away and leaving her hanging, but his body had a mind of its own. Before he could draw in another breath, his lips were embracing hers and his heart was soaring out of his chest. He felt himself drowning in her, and it took all his willpower to pull away after a few seconds before things got too heated between them.

 

"Holy moly," Maya mumbled as she stared dazedly at him, her mouth slightly open in shock. "That's a really good way of shutting me up. I'm all shut up now, Sir," she gave him a salute.

Josh chuckled as he shook his head in amusement. "I can't believe I had to go to that extent. What am I going to do with you Maya?" He sighed like a weary parent. Maya simply shrugged and placed her finger on her lips indicating that she was no longer talking. Josh laughed at this, and then tried to remember what it was he had meant to say to her before she distracted him with her shenanigans.

 

"Anyways, earlier, before you interrupted me, I was going to ask you to promise me that you'll let me know if your dungeon of sadness ever gets out of control. If you ever need someone to talk to Maya, you can always add me to that list. Just wanted to let you know that," he smiled fondly at her. Maya nodded and gave him a smile back. "Thanks Josh," she said. "I really appreciate you saying that."

 

Josh nodded at her, and then turned to drink the last bit of his coffee but stopped midway in his drinking process when his stomach growled loudly. He immediately made eye-contact with Maya, and they both burst out laughing.

 

"I'm a terrible waitress," Maya admitted as she glanced at the time on her phone. "It's almost 8:30 and I still haven't fed you. So sorry."

 

"It's ok. Technically I didn't order anything yet."

 

"Yeah, but that's because I didn't ask. Anyways, what would you like for your entree, Sir?"

 

"Food," Josh responded bluntly, "Anything that's food. Gimme. I'll eat it. Me starving."

 

Maya laughed. "Okie dokie. Be right back."

 

She quickly headed to the kitchen with a bright smile on her face to heat up their dinner for the evening.


	7. Chapter 7

"Well, that looks good!" Josh exclaimed happily when Maya returned with a large plate of  _Penne a la Vodka_  and set it in front of him. She then handed him a couple of utensils which he immediately used to start digging into the meal.

"Mmm, this is  _good_ ," he commended the food as he grabbed some more pasta with his fork and shoved it into his mouth. "Did your Mom make the sauce as well? It tastes  _really_  good- like better than the ones you get at the store."

Maya shrugged as she sat down across from him with her meal. "No idea," she responded. "I'm usually less interested in the prep and more into the eating part, know what I mean?" She grinned as she grabbed her fork to commence eating.

Josh simply shook his head at her. "So, you're a terrible cook and a terrible waitress...not really what I had on my list... _yeah, sorry girl but this aint gon' work out right hier_ ," he teased her with a wink.

Maya burst out laughing as she gazed at him in amusement. "First of all, shut up! Second of all, what was  _that?_ "

"What?"

"Your accent. I've never heard you speak like that before."

"Well, that's because New York has ruined me," Josh responded, shaking his head sadly. "That's my Philly accent. It's not super strong but it  _comes out lil bit more when I go back hoeame n eat sum cheese-steaks._ " He grinned.

"Ha," Maya responded, feeling extremely intrigued at seeing this side of Josh that she had never really seen before. "So, Matthews, Topanga and Dad speak like that too when they're back in Philly?" She had only been to Philadelphia with the Matthews a couple of times in the past- once when she was six years old in the summer, which was her first time meeting Josh and getting a thorough introduction of his newly built tree-house, and the second time, at a Christmas gathering a year later. She had been too young at that point to notice any subtle changes in the adults' accents.

"Cor and Topanga don't really have an accent anymore- it's pretty much all New York now," Josh responded. "Shawn does- a little bit. You should ask him to show you. Might crack you up."

Maya nodded with a smile. "This is so fascinating. I'll definitely ask him," she said.

"You learn something new everyday!" Josh quipped as he finished his meal with one last shove of pasta into his mouth.

"Man, I really did starve you. You finished that in like five seconds," Maya observed.

Josh gulped down his glass of water before responding. "Well, it was good pasta. Definitely hit the spot. Feel free to tell Katy that she can invite me for dinner any time. My schedule will be free." Maya giggled at that comment. "Ok, will do," she replied.

"Now, the question is, are  _you_  finishing your meal any time soon? What's going on here?" Josh gestured at her largely full plate of pasta. Maya sighed. "I ate a late lunch today so I'm not super hungry right now," she admitted. "Maybe I'll save it for later." She swallowed one more forkful of pasta and then pushed her plate off to the side.

"Do you want more food?" She turned her attention back to Josh.

"Nope, I'm stuffed," he responded. "Thanks for asking. But, I do want to make sure you eat a little bit more though before we get out of here. You know, it's important to have 3 meals a day, plus healthy snacks in between in order to maintain a healthy and balanced metabolism. Try not to eat any more late lunches."

"Oh my gosh, you're such a nerd, Boing," Maya muttered as she made a face at him.

"I won't refute that," Josh responded with a firm nod. "However, I  _have_  found- in my experience- that the ladies seem to respond well to my nerdiness, so I probably won't be changing it up any time soon," he grinned.

"Fair enough," Maya responded. She broke eye-contact with him and started twiddling her thumbs absentmindedly as she stared down at the table.

"Ok, what's wrong?" Josh asked as soon as he noticed the change in her body language. She glanced back at him with a confused look on her face. "Uh, nothing," she responded almost in a whisper.

"No, it's something because you're twiddling your thumbs, which means you're nervous, and you're staring off into space with this faraway, glassy look in your eyes. And you're too quiet all of a sudden. So, what's going on kiddo? Talk to me."

"Wow," Maya gazed at him in awe. "I really can't hide anything from you, can I?" she said. This made Josh chuckle.

"I mean, you could try," he responded, "but you're kind of an open book Maya. It's pretty easy to read you, at least on the surface. What I can't read is what's going on in here," he pointed to her head. "Only  _you_ can reveal that. So, since I'm clearly not letting this go- unless you really want me to- wanna tell me what's going on? I'm all ears." He smiled at her.

Maya sighed, as she contemplated for a moment whether to open up to him about the question that she'd been wanting to ask him, but worried about his reaction if she did. Had he not urged her to open up, she would have probably decided- yet again- not to do it. But he had opened the door, and it seemed like a great opportunity to finally get some answers. If she didn't take advantage now, she had no idea when the opportunity would come again.  _It's now or never_ , she thought as she took a deep breath.

"I was wondering actually if I could ask you a question?" she said hesitatingly.

"Sure," Josh responded brightly, "Shoot. What's your question?"

"It's kinda sensitive...I just, I'm not sure how you will react if I ask it…" her voice trailed off. Josh sensed how nervous she was and immediately started trying to set her mind at ease.

"Maya," he said softly, "I think we're way past the point now where we can't ask each other sensitive questions. I think we probably passed it a year ago when we discussed your dungeon of sadness in the subway, and we  _really_ passed it a month ago when we, or should I say,  _I,_ finally admitted my feelings for you. I think,  _especially_  after the events of today which have brought us even closer, if you  _don't_ feel comfortable asking me those kinds of questions, then that means I've really screwed up somewhere and I'll need to look into what I'm personally doing  _or saying_ to make you feel so uncomfortable."

"It's not you." She shook her head firmly at him. "It's just- I have this fear- always- lurking in the back of mind that one day, I'm going to do something or say something  _really_  stupid and then everyone's just going to get up and leave...and everything will change. I know it's irrational but it's still there," she kept her gaze down, fixed on the table as she fidgeted with her thumbs even more so than usual.

For the second time that evening, Josh felt his heart breaking for her as he gazed upon her in silence contemplating his response to her admission. He felt all his protective instincts kicking in- ready to act. She had always shown him glimpses of her more vulnerable side, but he had never really seen her look so defeated and broken, although he knew this side of her existed. How could it not after the kind of abandonment she had suffered at such a young age? Wounds like that took a long time to heal, and it was only normal that she was _still_ trying to heal. Her strong outward confidence and sharp sense of humor overshadowed this more hidden, vulnerable side of her, and thus, made it all too easy for others to not see the battle that she was probably always fighting within to trust, to hope, to believe…

Josh grabbed both of her hands in his and squeezed them gently. This prompted her to turn her attention back to him and away from her worries and insecurities- for the moment.

"I think your thumbs have suffered long enough, dontcha think?" He teased her lightly as he caressed and surveyed her fingers. Maya smiled at his comment.

"Friendship ring?" He asked when he noticed the small, silver ring on her right index finger, and gently spun it around so he could read the inscription on it:  _ **M & R 4eva**_

"Yeah," Maya responded. "Birthday gift from Riles a year ago."

Josh nodded. "Pretty nice. I've never understood the point of them though," he admitted with slight amusement.

Maya chuckled, "It's a girl thing. You wouldn't understand."

Josh nodded in response and then turned his attention back to her, her hands still clasped in his. "When you mentioned being afraid that everyone was going to leave because of something you will end up doing or saying, were you thinking of anyone in particular? Who is everyone, if you don't mind me asking?" He asked her softly.

Maya took a moment to reflect on his question before responding. "Hm, I guess maybe Shawn, Riles, and...you," she glanced at him shyly.

"Ha. Makes sense," Josh responded, nodding his head in immediate understanding. "The three people who came into your life after your dad left, and who you are most afraid of losing."

Maya nodded in agreement with his assessment and sighed softly.

"I'm pathetic right?" She muttered dejectedly as she fixed her gaze on their enclosed hands.

"Not at all," Josh responded firmly. "You're  _human_. There's nothing wrong, Maya, with wanting people to stay. It's a universal human desire. It's why we grieve when we lose loved ones- because if we had it our way, they would  _never_  leave- or, we would never leave them. Now, in your particular case, I don't know if you remember what I told you back at the ski lodge-"

"Oh, I remember," Maya interjected, "I remember everything. In fact, the entire scene was very similar to this- I feel like I'm experiencing deja vu," She held up their enclosed hands and gave him a wide, knowing smile. " _This_  still feels great, just as it did the first time," she grinned. Josh smiled warmly at her.

"You told me that I have the greatest capacity for love that you have ever seen," Maya stated. "And also that I'm the girl you're going to marry someday - because we both know that's essentially what you were trying to say, it just didn't come out  _exactly_ like that. Get what I mean?" Josh simply shook his head at her in amusement as his grin grew wider.

"I'm not even gonna bother disputing that," he said.

"Good. Don't. Just let it be, Boing," She lowered their clasped hands gently back onto the table, and gazed into his eyes.

Josh felt himself drowning yet again in her ocean-blue gaze...his heart palpitating rapidly and his breath ceasing...he was suffocating, but he had never felt so alive.

"I'm not going anywhere Maya," he reassured her softly when he finally found his voice. "I'm always going to be right here, by your side, no matter what. I told you back in the ski lodge that I'll  _never_  want you not to be in my life and I meant that. You know how you said I'm no longer in the dungeon of sadness? Well, get me out of this dungeon too  _cos girl, I reelly don' woanta be der,"_  He grinned. Maya giggled at his accent and gave him a wide smile, her eyes shining brightly with what looked a lot to Josh like hope.

" _And_ , I can't speak for Shawn and Riley but I have a strong feeling they aren't going anywhere either. I think deep down, you do too." Josh continued speaking, "Shawn's been through a lot. He would have never committed to you and your Mom if he wasn't a hundred percent sure that he was going to stay. Plus, he really loves you and Katy. And as for Riles, we both know that she would cut off her right arm before abandoning her bff, so there ya go." He squeezed her hand gently before continuing, "You  _are_  right that your fears at the moment are irrational- however, they are your fears and it makes perfect sense that you have them. A parent leaving at a young age leaves a lot of painful wounds which take time to heal. You're still in the healing process Maya so don't be too hard on yourself. Keep being open about your fears and concerns- preferably with a trained therapist if possible, and definitely with those that you trust. I think with a lot of these issues, the less that you hide or cover up, and the more that you expose and open up about, the less power they will have over you- see what I mean?"

"Yeah," Maya nodded, as she beamed at him warmly. "It was a little hard for me, but I'm glad I spoke about this with you, Josh. I think I'm feeling a lot better. Thank you."

"Good!" Josh exclaimed happily. "Glad I could help. It's nice to see you all smiles again. You look a  _lil_  better that way- just a  _tiny_  bit."

Maya made a face at him at that comment and stuck out her tongue. Josh smiled in return and gave her hands a final squeeze before letting go. He then immediately pushed her plate of pasta back in front of her. "Now that you're feeling better, why don't you eat a little more food so that Mr. Joshie won't keep bothering you about it? Ok? Ok."

Maya sighed since she still wasn't feeling hungry but started eating anyways in order to placate him.

"Were you ever called Joshie?" She asked him curiously as she grabbed some pasta with her fork.

"Not really, thank God. Just my Mom- when I was really little- but only when she was being a lot more affectionate than usual- like if I got a booboo or something."

"Aww, that's  _so_  cute," Maya intoned as she tried to picture the scene. Josh rolled his eyes.

"Anyways, I'm officially a man now. Those days are far behind me," He pounded his chest proudly. "18 baby!  _Rock and Roll_." It was Maya's turn to roll her eyes at him in amusement.

"You may be a man now but I'm still calling you _Boing_. You must secretly hate that nickname but are just too nice to tell me that, right?" She asked him. Josh chuckled.

"You know, now that I think about it, I've never really minded  _Boing_ ," He replied. "I certainly don't hate it but I'm also not going to be introducing myself to people as  _Boing_  any time soon-"

"Oh my gosh, that would be awesome!" Maya exclaimed excitedly, her mouth full of pasta. Josh grinned before completing his train of thought. "I don't know, maybe my tolerance of  _Boing_  has something to do with the person who calls me that," he gave her a pointed look which caused Maya to blush and her heart skip a beat. "Like if some buffoon, like Andrew, started calling me  _Boing,_ I'll shut that down real quick."

Maya laughed. "You still haven't forgiven Andrew for his prank?" She asked him.

Josh shrugged. "It's complicated," he grinned. "We'll see. Anyways, earlier, you had a sensitive question to ask, I recall? Something tells me none of these questions are it. So, if you still wanna ask it, I'm more than ready to answer to the best of my ability," he gave her an encouraging smile.

Maya nodded, took a deep breath, pushed her half-eaten plate of pasta to the side and commenced speaking. "I wanted to ask about the long game," she said softly. "I just...I was wondering if you've thought about when it will actually end…we haven't really discussed that and I don't know...I thought we should- but, if you don't want to discuss it, we don't have to- just forget I brought it up, ok? I just- I know I come off strong sometimes Josh, and I, I never want you to feel like I'm pressuring you to do anything you don't want to do. So if I've ever done that, then I'm really sorry…So, uh, yeah, that's all." She gazed at him shyly, and anxiously awaited his response.

Josh leaned back on his chair, ran his hand slowly through his hair while he reflected for a moment on his response before speaking, "First of all, Maya, you should  _never_  apologize for wanting more clarity in any relationship. That's something that  _you_  deserve and if the other person is not ready to give you that for whatever reason, then they owe you a good explanation as to why they are not ready- and  _then_ , you can decide for yourself if you're ok with that. But never hesitate to challenge or question any idiot who sells you some mumbo-jumbo about some long game with no end in sight apparently, where you live your life and they live theirs and maybe someday you'll finally get together if the stars are aligned." He grinned at her and gave her a wink.

Maya burst out laughing as she immediately realized the implication of what he had just said. Before she could comment, Josh resumed speaking, "Yes, I was talking about myself, in case you were wondering. I'm an idiot, Maya, and I owe  _you_ an apology. You see, it didn't really occur to me, until recently, that the long game spiel that I gave at the ski lodge sounded great in theory but just didn't make much practical sense in the real world. Zay, bless his heart, tried to point this out. He's a good friend. Try not to give him any nicknames that'll make him bolt." Maya laughed out loud at this. "Might be too late for that," she admitted. Josh simply shook his head and continued speaking, "I'm not perfect Maya. Sometimes I get the feeling that you think I am. My hope is that the more our friendship grows, the more you will start seeing my imperfections- and hopefully, you will still like me at the end of it all," He gave her a timid smile.

"Are you a serial killer or a rapist?" Maya asked him bluntly. Josh laughed. "Uh, no. Definitely not." Maya thought for a second before asking the next series of questions, "Do you tend to date more than one girl at once- also known as a player?" Josh shook his head- "Nope, never done that." "Have you ever cheated?" "Like academically or-?" "No, Nerd, in a  _relationship!_ Have you ever cheated on your girlfriend or whatever?" "Oh, uh, no." "We need to talk about your past relationships by the way- for all I know you could've had like a billion girlfriends back in Philly." "Ha, definitely not that many, but yes, we should talk about that- maybe after the long game convo?" "Sure. Last question- were you ever a football player?" Maya asked. "Uh no, baseball and soccer," Josh responded. "I never quite had the physique for football unfortunately."

Maya grinned. "Well then, we're good! You've been hired in the forever like department, Mr. Boing! No further questions."

"Wow," Josh muttered, looking extremely amused. "Quick Question- what's your deal with football players?"

"Don't trust 'em. Can't trust 'em. Too many girls. Haven't you seen any high school movies?" Maya responded.

Josh grinned as he stared at her affectionately.

"Ok- but just wanted to point out that you literally just took my answers at face value. That was a pretty easy interview for the  _forever_  like department. I mean, what if I was lying the whole time?" He asked her.

"I trust you. I know you're not gonna lie to me. I mean maybe small lies here and there but not big ones like 'I've never cheated,' when you know you have. If it was anybody else- my standards would be  _this_  high," She raised her arm high towards the ceiling, "and it would be pretty hard for them to pass, because it would be hard for me to trust 'em."

"So I'm special is what you're saying," Josh responded, grinning.

"You bet your beanie head you are! Now don't you go taking advantage of that young man. You still gotta work your bum off if you wanna stay in the forever like department."

Josh nodded approvingly and gave her a thumbs up. "Yes, Ma'am. Good for ya. You should never make it easy for anyone to stay in that department- including me."

Maya grinned. "Ok," she responded.

"Alrighty- I think we're getting off topic here. Back to the long game!" He clapped his hands lightly on the table and sat up straighter in his chair. "I'm actually glad you brought this up, Maya, because it's been on my mind to discuss with you for some time now. Back in the ski lodge, I suggested our current deal because obviously I was still thinking about the age difference."

"I know," Maya nodded knowingly. "You and that darn age difference. We're gonna be freaking 80 and you'll still be bringing that up," she teased him.

"No, hear me out!" Josh attempted to explain, "The age difference matters  _now_ obviously because we're in different stages of our lives. That creates an uncomfortable dynamic between us- so to speak- if we were to date now. Our daily experiences would be totally different. I'm not saying we couldn't make it work if we really wanted to probably, but it would be difficult. I mean- think about how most serious high school relationships typically end once college comes around- and that's when they're at the same stage in their lives _._ See what I mean?"

"Yeah I get it," Maya nodded.

"Ok, cool. So that's what I was thinking. I also didn't want us rushing into anything unless we actually got to know each other- which I think we're doing a pretty good job at so far, wouldn't you say?"

Maya shrugged. "All I really needed to know is that you've never been a football player. I'm good. Let's date," she grinned.

Josh laughed, shaking his head in amusement before continuing speaking. "Anyways, all of this rambling is to say that I've enjoyed your company this past month, Maya- and our friendship. But I'm also keenly aware that we're moving gradually past friendship and I think that's also something we need to discuss- especially as it pertains to the long game."

"Well, we could never be  _just_  friends, Josh," Maya responded. "We have feelings for each other so that's going to be kinda hard. Hanging out with you will never be like hanging out with Zay or Lucas or Farkle. I mean, we could  _try_  to keep things completely platonic between us but that's just going to be weird."

"I know," Josh replied. "And that's what made me realize that some aspects of my long game plan back at the Ski Lodge weren't very practical. The idea was that we would both live our lives and then maybe have a someday depending on how life worked out. But if we're in each other's lives  _now_ as more than just friends then that kind of complicates our original deal. That emotional distance that we might both need to live our lives and see what happens later on kind of disappears."

"True," Maya replied. "But I personally don't have a problem with the way things are  _now_  between us. I think it's ok to plan but sometimes you just have to let things happen naturally. Like, I didn't come here tonight thinking 'Muahahaha, I'm going to make sure I get two kisses from Boing today!' Does that mean I haven't thought about kissing you and wondering when the heck that would  _ever_ happen? Of course I have! But I wasn't thinking about that tonight. I was focused on your birthday. And guess what?! I got kissed! For the first time! By  _you!_ And I didn't even have to do any scheming to make it happen. I'm going to channel my inner Riley now- Yayyy!" Josh chuckled softly at her Riley impersonation as he gazed at her affectionately.

"But I think it's ok that things got a _lil_  romantic tonight, as long as we're both cool with it. Now if you're  _not_ cool with it, then that's a different story, and we will need to address that. But, sounds to me like it's probably just time to make a new deal if the old one is no longer working. Let's just go with the flow, honey." She grinned at him, shrugging. Josh smiled in return. " _However,_ Mr. Joshua Matthews," Maya continued, _"_ I  _do_ want to be with you someday. And I don't know about you, but I don't really feel like waiting ten years for that to happen. So, here's  _my_  suggestion. If we both definitely want to date each other someday, then we need to agree  _now_  on a possible end date for the long game instead of just leaving things hanging. And I know I'm contradicting myself a little here cos I just said 'let's go with the flow' and now I want us to plan an end date but if it was up to me Boing, this long game wouldn't exist. I'm just being honest with you. You're the only guy in this world that I would  _ever_ do this with. So, yeah, the sooner it's over, the happier I'll be. Ok, that's my two cents. I'm done now. Here's the mic!"

She made a throwing motion with her hand in the air whilst Josh pretended to catch the invisible "mic." They both grinned sillily at each other for a few seconds. Then Josh pretended to speak into the "mic" by pointing his fisted hand close to his mouth before proclaiming in a mock British accent, "Ms. Maya Hunter, it is  _quite_  the pleasure of Mr. Joshua Boing Matthews to inform you that out of  _all_  the lovely young ladies in the realm, he only requests the honor of your presence by his side, someday. He also deemed it fitting for you to know that instead of waiting a decade to grace him with your lovely presence, you will only have to wait one third of a decade. That will be all."

" _Crap!_ I can't do fractions!" Maya yelled out, throwing her hands up in frustration. "How much is 1/3rd of a decade?"

"Seriously?" Josh responded, eyebrows raised in slight shock.

"I kid you not. I have no clue," Maya retorted shrugging.

"About 3 years, give or take," Josh replied.

"Hold on, let's see," Maya took a moment to do the Math in her head, "Oh ok. 18...high school graduation...starting college...makes sense I guess. Suppose I can live with that." She turned to give him a thumbs up only to be met with a serious, slightly sad expression on Josh's face.

"Yikes! What's that face for?" She asked, surprised.

"I'll be tutoring you in Math from now on," Josh simply informed her. "We're going to start with fractions. And you're going to take it seriously and learn. No excuses. I'll let you know when our first session will be."

"Holy crap," Maya muttered looking distraught. "I can't say no to this?"

"Nope," Josh responded in an authoritative tone, "Not to this. On the bright side, we will be seeing each other more. So, not sure why you will want to say no to that."

"Um, probably because we won't be hanging out to have fun but learning instead? I really don't like the sound of that. But I s'pose you are right. Seeing more of you - even if it's to learn fractions- will still be better than nothing."

"Atta girl," Josh smiled at her. "Glad we agree on that. You know, learning  _can_ be fun. You just gotta give it a chance."

"Yuck.  _No. Stop_ ," Maya made a disgusted face at him. "We discussed this. I already have your brother bugging me  _err'day_  to 'unleash my full potential.' Don't need you too, k? I'll do your tutoring but can we change the subject now? Please?"

"Ok sure," Josh smiled at her amusingly. "Changing topics! Now, before we discuss a new long game deal, I wanted to voice one concern I do have."

"Sure, what is it?"

"You living your life, Maya."

"Huh?"

"It's just- I keep thinking back to our conversation with Zay a couple weeks back," He sighed as he brushed his hand through his hair. "He was right, Maya. The last thing I want is you essentially putting your life on hold for 3 years until someday happens. I want you to live  _your_ life  _now._ Developmentally, you're at a critical moment right now with high school. There's a lot that you're going to be learning about yourself, your feelings, others...it's an important time of growth and finding yourself. I don't want to get in the way of that. And I'll hate for you to hold back on anything or  _anyone_ because of the long game or someday. You know what I mean?"

Maya chuckled softly for a few seconds whilst shaking her head almost immediately after he finished speaking.

"Ok...what's so funny? I literally just poured my heart out," Josh said, feeling slightly offended.

"Sorry," she apologized as soon as her laughter subsided. "I wasn't laughing  _at_ you. I was laughing at your portrayal of high school. Josh- I don't know what your high school experience was like- maybe you can tell me more about it at some point? But here's  _my_ experience so far. The  _whole_ thing is overrated. I mean we were all nervous but also pretty excited to go to high school, and it turns out it's the same people we were with in middle school, and the same drama,  _and_ the same teacher, but you already knew that." Josh grinned at this comment. He was still amazed at the fact that Cory had followed them to high school and was still their teacher.

Maya continued, "The point that I'm trying to make is, nothing is ever as glamorous as people make it out to be, y'know? I've kinda learned never to expect too much because of that. You don't have to worry about me not living my life because I am. I have my friends, I  _really_ like art, and who knows, maybe I'll learn fractions soon. Jury's still out on that one, but we'll see," she winked at him causing him to chuckle.

"What I'm  _not_ going to do is date- and I think that's what you were trying to get at but you were too nervous to actually say it? You  _cutie lil pie_ ," she teased him.

"Oh my God," Josh mumbled as he turned slightly pink. "I prefer Boing, thank you very much. Please don't refer to me like that again? Thanks for your cooperation, Ma'am."

Maya laughed. "Ok, will try not to. Anywho, since I know you will be asking me why, I'll try to explain why I  _won't_ be dating in high school. #1, I'm not interested in anybody. Like I said, same guys from middle school. Wasn't interested then, not interested now. #2, even if I  _was_  interested, there will be no point dating because at the end of the day,  _you_  will always come first. I'm never going to like anyone more than I like you, Josh. Don't ask me how I know that- I just do. And in three years time, I'm not going to choose some guy over you. It's just not gonna happen. I'll  _always_ choose you. So what's probably gonna happen is a messy breakup with a lotta drama, and after that triangle, I  _really_ don't want to deal with anymore relationship dramas," She shook her head firmly. "You're the only guy I like Josh," she said softly, "and if you definitely want to be with me then I don't mind waiting for you. It's as simple as that. That's  _my_ choice. So please don't feel bad about it. This is simply how I'm choosing to live my life now." She gave him a warm smile.

Once again, Josh was rendered speechless as he gazed at her in silent awe and admiration just as he had a year ago when she snuck into NYU and proclaimed her feelings for him. It suddenly occurred to him how much he still underestimated Maya's maturity level because of the age gap, and in that moment, he realized that that was something he needed to work on. Maya was wise beyond her years- possibly because of the difficulties she had endured in her young life. Her astute response to his concerns showed that she had contemplated the issue of dating and made her own decision probably even before  _he_  started thinking about it. There was no way  _he_  would have been as mature and disciplined when he was in high school to make the kind of decision and sacrifice that Maya now seemed determined to make. She simply never ceased to amaze him.

"Wow, Maya, I'm lost for words," he muttered as he gazed at her fondly. "Like I said earlier, I really don't deserve you. And sometimes, just so you know, there's a part of me that kinda wishes you would realize that soon enough and go after someone who's awesomer than I am, isn't a nerd, isn't clueless most of the time, won't make you wait 1/3rd of a decade, and will probably better appreciate you. You _really_ deserve better than  _this guy_." He pointed to himself, grinning.

Maya beamed at him. "I could do that," she responded playfully, "but where would be the fun in that? It's not like I could call this new guy 'Boing,' cos that's already taken. It's not like I could jump on his back and read his college acceptance letter, cos you know, did it with you already. It's not like I could sneak into his dorm and make a fool out of myself. It's not like I could sit in his treehouse cos that will just remind me of you and the first time  _we_  met. It's not like I could tease him until he's tomato red cos he probably won't be as dorky and shy as you are. And it's not like I could get my first kiss back cos guess what?! You took it! Along with my stubborn heart! So ya see the problem?" She grinned widely at him.

Josh had no words to explain the emotions coursing through him as he listened to Maya list each memorable moment they had shared together either in the past or recently as her reason for staying by his side, despite his imperfections. With her, he had never felt the need to prove himself. With her, he had always been good enough.

"I'll also be waiting for you, Maya," he told her softly. "Since no college witches are interested in me anyway, it shouldn't be a problem," he smiled.

"Wait,  _what?_ " Maya stared at him incredulously. "Josh, you really don't have to do me any favors. Just because I won't be dating doesn't mean you shouldn't either."

"I'm not doing this as a favor to you, Maya," he explained. "I'm doing this for the sake of my own principles. I'm not a fan of purposeless, casual dating. At least, not at this point in my life."

"Boing, you sound like you're freaking 30," Maya teased.

"I do, don't I?" Josh laughed. Maya simply shook her head in amusement.

"Anyways," Josh continued, "If I was to date  _now,_ it would be because I actually had a genuine interest in pursuing someone romantically and having things actually go somewhere, and not just for the heck of it. And since there's only one girl that I currently feel that way about and she is 3 years younger than me, it is what it is. I will have to wait."

"Are you sure about this?" Maya asked. "I mean, high school is one thing, Josh, but last I heard there are some pretty nice girls in college. What happens when you  _do_ meet a witch who is amazing and you guys totally hit it off and you want to date her? Which will be totally fine with me, by the way. Do what makes you happy- please. Just be honest with me about it so I don't have to find out on Facebook or something."

"If I ran into a witch who was totally amazing and we hit it off, we would, at the most, become good friends. There would be no need to date her."

"But, Josh-"

"We are on the same page here, Maya. Think about your rationale for not wanting to date for the next 3 years. Let's say I dated that really amazing girl. What would be the point? There's a 99.9 percent chance things would end in a breakup. Why? Because in the end, I'll be choosing you. And before someday happens, we'll most likely be spending some quality time together like we are doing now. It just wouldn't be fair to me, or you or the really amazing girl that I'll be dating. She will deserve a guy who can give her  _all_ of his heart and attention. See what I mean?"

"I guess," Maya said, still sounding unsure. "But wait, why is it a 99.9 percent chance of a breakup? Thought it would be a 100?"

Josh shrugged. "In case you meet a dashing, charming lad in school and change your mind on the long game- which will be totally fine with me by the way- or become a serial killer, I would need to keep my options open."

Maya grinned. "Smart," she responded.

Josh got up from his chair, walked over to where she was seated and offered her his hand. "Maya?" He said softly. "Josh?" Maya responded, smiling from ear to ear as she took his hand and allowed him to pull her up gently from her chair. "Long game?" He asked her with a wide smile as he held on to her hand, his heart beating rapidly. "Long game," Maya replied softly.

For a moment, they stood there, hands clasped, lost in the warmth of each other's gaze and the hope of their promise.


	8. Chapter 8

"Y _'_ know Boing," Maya said with a glint in her eye as they stood holding hands and smiling shyly at each other, "Now would be a  _great_  time for a kiss. You know, like to seal the deal?" She winked at him.

Josh grinned in amusement at her comment as he bit his bottom lip nervously. He gently pulled her closer to himself, and cupping her face with one hand, leaned in to place a soft, tender kiss on her cheek. He pulled back to see a bewildered look on Maya's face and her eyebrows fully raised as she stared at him incredulously.

"You know how I said some things are overrated and I've learned never to expect too much because of that?" She said. "This kiss is one of them." Josh chuckled at that comment as he gazed at her affectionately. He wasn't surprised by her reaction. In fact, he had been fully expecting it.

" _Ouch_ ," he responded. "That hurt. Right up in here," He pointed to his chest as he made a sad face.

"Well, ya deserve it!" Maya fired back at him with a grin, her arms crossed as she shook her head in disappointment. "I thought we graduated from cheek kisses like an hour ago when you went for my lips-  _twice._  What, so now we're back to square one?"

"Technically," Josh stated in an attempt to defend himself, "I was gonna go for the forehead too and do like a cool, non-lip double kiss thingie? You might have been really impressed." Maya rolled her eyes at him. "And  _that_  wouldn't have been square one- maybe like square 1.5."

"This is freakin' unbelievable," Maya muttered under her breath as she stared at him in disbelief.

"But seeing as you're still wearing my beanie," Josh continued his train of thought, "I couldn't go for the forehead cos you know, it'll be weird kissing the beanie. So yeah, that's what happened."

Maya sighed, and muttered softly to herself, "I give up... _clueless nerd..._ " before turning away from him. She focused her attention on cleaning up as she started gathering their dinner plates and utensils from the table.

"Need help?" Josh asked as he came to stand beside her.

"Um, I dunno Dr. Matthews. Are you done with your square 1.5 cheek kiss analysis?" She teased him sarcastically. "I would hate to take time away from your groundbreaking intellectual studies just so you can do some basic cleanup. I mean, that's just  _below_  your genius mind. You need to keep analyzing cheek kisses and why you can't give a gal a simple lip kiss when she wants it and you had the perfect opportunity. Lotta guys wouldn't've had a problem with that. Hm? Analyze  _that._ " She smiled at him and went back to her task.

Josh chuckled amusingly at her comment as he watched her stack up the dishes and utensils. "That's some harsh sarcasm there, Ms. Hunter. Clearly, despite my obvious charm, you're not very pleased with me right now," He observed.

Maya smiled, shaking her head. "First of, your charm needs more work," she retorted. " _And_  I'm not displeased with you. I'm just wondering why out of  _all_  the guys in the whole, freakin' universe- and yes, I'm including the hot ones we're still yet to discover in Mars- I fell in-" She paused for a few seconds as she suddenly realized what it was she was about to say, her heart palpitating.  _Dammit! What the hell is wrong with me?!_ She thought to herself in panic as she scrambled for anything else she could say that could salvage the situation. When she realized her mind had drawn a complete blank except for the one word she  _didn't_ want to say, she threw up her hands in frustration and sighed loudly. "Forget it," She muttered, all the while avoiding eye contact with him. She grabbed the dishes from the table and started heading to the small kitchen behind the counter to clean them.

Josh stood there, hands shoved in his pocket, grinning widely and feeling extremely amused at the entire situation as he watched her practically run off to the kitchen. He was very much aware of the word she had almost let slip out and the effect that it was already having on him. There was a warm, gooey feeling that was currently surging through him which slightly reminded him of how he felt on Christmas morning, especially when he was kid. However, good feelings aside, he also knew- from experience- that it was currently up to him to diffuse the situation so they didn't spend the rest of the night in a state of extreme awkwardness. If there was anything he hated, it was awkward situations. There was no way he was going to let a great night devolve into a bunch of awkward interactions where they wouldn't be able to make eye-contact let alone talk to each other normally. He was going to have to tackle the issue head-on and hopefully bring everything back to normal between them.

Taking a deep breath, he walked over to the kitchen only to find that she had locked the door. Shaking his head in amusement and chuckling lightly to himself, he knocked gently on the door while calling out to her, "Knock, knock- anyone home? Maya? You in there?"

"Uh, duh. You didn't see me come out, right?" She responded.

"What are you doing in there?" He asked.

"I'm washing the dishes. You know, cleaning up so we can leave."

"Ok, so why's the door locked?"

"Uhh, maybe cos I'm hiding," she responded. Josh burst out laughing. He hadn't expected her to admit it so quickly.  _She's too cute_ , he thought fondly to himself.

"You know, it usually helps to hide in a place where the person you're hiding from might have a difficult time finding you," he noted.

"Well, unless you can break through locked doors now Superman, I think I'm good," she retorted. "Plus I'm trying to kill two birds with one stone- hiding from extreme shame and embarrassment while cleaning up. Gotta be productive you know."

Josh grinned as he leaned sideways against the door.

"Well, that's too bad cos I have something  _very_  important to say. But it will be kinda sad to say it to a locked door. I was hoping to say it to your face, know what I mean?"

She didn't respond. There was a half-minute of silence where he barely heard any activity inside except for the soft, whirring sound of what he could only assume was the dishwasher. Concerned, he was about to call out her name when he heard an unlocking sound. He immediately pulled away from the door so he wouldn't tumble down on his face as soon she opened it.

"What do  _you_ want?!" Maya asked him as soon as she jerked the door open. Josh grinned as he immediately recalled the last time she had asked him that question back in the ski lodge, right before he confessed his feelings for her.

" _You_ ," he replied softly. "Glad you finally came out," he smiled.

Maya's heart skipped a beat as she felt herself drowning in his gaze and his smile. In that moment, she couldn't bring herself to regret for a second the almost admission of love that she had made to him. But it only took a few seconds for reality to hit her like cold water that she still hadn't heard what he had to say in response. And until then, she needed to protect herself. "I'm  _very_ busy right now," she said as she broke off eye-contact with him and started twiddling her thumbs absentmindedly. "Say what ya gotta say and then scram. Dishwashing requires a lotta focus and energy. I can't afford to be distracted."

Josh grinned. "Ok, I'll try to make this quick then," he responded. "Maya, one of the things I really like and admire about you is that you're extremely honest and straightforward. You're not afraid to say how you feel, and more importantly, to mean what you say. It's a very attractive quality and I would hate for you to feel bad or insecure about expressing your real thoughts or emotions because of the fear of 'extreme shame or embarrassment.' Besides, there's really nothing to be ashamed of when it comes to falling for Joshua Matthews' charms, or good looks or great sense of humor, or general awesomeness, or intelligence-"

"OK, I GET IT!" Maya yelled as she grinned in amusement. "What the hell, Josh!"

Josh was roaring with laughter at her reaction. "Should I continue? Cos, I wasn't done- I mean, it's a  _long_  list-" he teased her.

"NO!" Maya screamed. "You know what?  _Scram!_  I got work to do!" She made a move to shut the door but Josh blocked her. "Wait!" he said as he quickly moved his body in front of the door so Maya couldn't shut it. "Hold on! I'm not gonna talk about myself anymore. I promise. I'll resist the temptation to do so," He winked at her. Maya rolled her eyes at him, but couldn't help smiling at his antics.

"Anyways," Josh continued as he gazed fondly at her, "In all seriousness Maya, what I'm trying to say is that I'm flattered by your almost admission of the extent of your amorous feelings for me."

"Wow," Maya responded, looking impressed. "Very nicely phrased, Boing, without saying the actual word."

Josh smiled. "Why thank you," He replied. "Now, I'm going to be honest with you Maya. I don't think I'm there yet. But that doesn't mean I'm not  _going_  to get there. Or that I don't  _want_ to. It's really just a matter of time at this point. I think it's too soon for me to be saying those words or even thinking them- but that's just cos I'm a slowpoke. I mean, if it wasn't for you, God knows we wouldn't be here making long game commitments to each other, so there ya go," He grinned. "But don't feel bad or ashamed by what you almost said. You're just miles ahead of me, that's all. Eventually, I'll get there. Let's just say, previous experience has taught me not to say those words lightly. Because you can't really take them back once they are said. Kinda like a marriage proposal."

"Don't give me any ideas Boing," Maya teased.

"Oh  _God,_ good point. Please don't do that," Josh replied with an amused expression.

"What, propose?" Maya asked with a mischievous grin.

"Uh, yea," Josh responded with a firm nod.

"Topanga did! She's like a Matthews family legend-even I've heard the story like a bajillion times."

Josh chuckled. "Yeah me too. That's cos apparently, she was the first, and only, girlfriend in the family to do that- at a  _high school graduation._ Very impressive...and crazy. But yeah, that's Cory and Topanga, America's sweethearts," He rolled his eyes, but smiled fondly, as he recalled Cory repeating that phrase several times over the years. "That's not us though. I mean, how the hell could we ever compare to their epic love story from the time when they were...3, I think? And caught fireflies together? Wait- I forget the age. Uh-oh. This is  _not_ good. I might not be invited to the next family reunion." He looked at Maya with an alarmed expression. Maya burst out laughing.

"I mean, you have to know these things about Cor and Topanga to be part of the family. It's like a test of your Matthews blood worthiness," Josh joked.

Maya laughed. "I think they were 6 when they caught fireflies together," She corrected him. "Riles told me the story once when she was daydreaming about being a princess and catching fireflies with her Prince Charming. This was pre-Lucas days, obviously."

Josh chuckled. "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree, y'know what I'm saying?" He said. Maya laughed. "Tell me about it," she replied. "I'm with her 24 hours a day," She shook her head in amusement as she thought about her quirky but adorable best friend.

"Anyways," Josh continued, "back to us. I know you're a lil crazy kiddo, but please don't propose,  _especially_ at your high school graduation, no matter how much you may want to because of my general awesomeness. You're gonna freak me the  _hell_  out. I'ma just be straight witchu."

Maya burst out in an uproarious laughter at this comment. Josh couldn't help but join in the laughter as well, his heart soaring at seeing how happy his words had made her. After a few seconds of non-stop laughter, Maya exclaimed, "Dang Boing! Nice New York slang! You picking it up real fast. Thanks for being straight w'me, homie." Josh chuckled. "Andrew is a good teacher," he admitted.

Maya smiled. "Anyway, as tempted as I am to pull a proposal stunt on you at my high school graduation just to see your reaction- which I'm sure will be EPIC- I shall be a good girl and not do that. Consider that your bday present three years in advance," She grinned at him.

Josh smiled approvingly at her words.

" _Gracias chica_ ," he said.

" _De nada muchacho,"_  Maya responded.

"Ok, what time do we have to get you home cos it's 10 o'clock right now." Josh said as he glanced at his watch.

" _Shoot_ ," Maya replied. "I have to be home by 10:30. We could stretch it to 11 though. I'll just text my mom and let her know."

"Um, let's make it 10:45. 11's too late. And it's also half an hour before your bedtime. I don't want you getting in trouble."

Maya shrugged. "It's not a biggie. I never sleep at that time anyway."

"Oh don't I know it. Ya naughty girl," Josh teased her. "Texting boys at 12am- when you're supposed to be sleeping. No bueno." He shook his index finger at her.

"Ok, first of all, it's not  _boys._ It's  _boy-_ as in you're the  _only_ boy I'm usually texting that late mainly because I just wanna bug you cos I know you're awake doing homework or some other crap," Maya said. "Usually at that time, I'm either texting you or Riles- but she usually sleeps earlier."

"Ok," Josh said with a skeptical look on his face. "So you say."

"It's true!" Maya protested.

Josh laughed. "I'm just messing with you, Maya," he said. "You can text whoever you want. Let's hurry up and get out of here though so we can get you home by 10:45."

"Ok, let's see," Maya walked over to the dishwasher to check on the dishes. "Dishes are clean! Do you mind stacking these up on the shelves and I'll go inside and wipe the tables?" She asked him.

"Sure," Josh agreed. It took him five minutes to finish stacking the dishes on the appropriate shelves. He checked the time right after he was done-  _10:15pm._  He had never been to Maya's apartment building before but he knew it was about a 20 minute walk from the cafe. If they left soon, she would be home by their target time.

He took out his phone from his jeans pocket and briefly checked his messages. There were two missed calls from Andrew and a couple of texts. One was from Andrew and the other was from an unknown number. He first read Andrew's text:  _ **Dude, where you at? Jas and I stopped by to check on you to make sure you weren't sulking away in your room for ur bday. But it looks like u found urself some fun? I really hope so but knowing u, u probz in the freakin library or somethin. Neways, hit me up esp if ure having a good time ;) I wanna hear alll about it. Oh, we also brought u food :)**_

Josh smiled when he read the part about food. Maybe he will forgive Andrew after all. Curious about the other message, he clicked on it to read the content:

_**(267) 564-9673: Hey Josh, happy birthday! It's Anna. I wasn't sure if this is still your number (because mine has changed obviously) but wanted to give it a shot anyways. It's been a while. Thought about you today and I hope you're doing well in college. I applied to NYU and Columbia- so yet to see what happens I guess. Maybe I was a bit ambitious? lol. Anyway, perhaps whenever you get a chance, you could tell me a little more about your experience at NYU so far? Would be interested to know. I really hope you're doing well Josh and that you're enjoying college more than I'm enjoying my senior year at Adams haha. We all kinda envy you- and miss you tbh. Nobody will tell you that tho :). Hope you are having a great evening and hope to talk to you soon.** _

Josh felt like a bucket of ice had been dumped over him. There was a moment in his life- a year ago even- where he would have been thrilled to receive such a message from her. Because it would have meant that maybe she had finally forgiven him...that he didn't have to keep feeling so guilty anymore...that maybe they could be friends again. But now? At this exact moment? He wasn't sure how to feel about her finally reaching out. Feeling flustered, he skimmed the message again-  _ **I applied to NYU and Columbia…**_   _Oh God,_ he thought as he ran his hand through his hair.

"Hey! You done?" Maya asked him. She was standing by the doorway of the kitchen smiling at him. He glanced at her, a confused look on his face for a second, before quickly checking his time again:  _10:25pm._

"Oh yeah, I'm done. But wow, we should  _really_  get going," he said.

"Mmhmm." Maya nodded. "Don't panic though. Already texted my Mom, told her I will be home by latest 11 and you are walking me. So she's cool."

Josh smiled. "Ok great. Let's get outta here."

" _He-re's_  your jacket! Head's up!" Maya threw his jacket at him after grabbing it from the coat rack near the entrance of the cafe.

"Oh wow," Josh teased her after catching it. "Thanks for giving it back to me as lovingly and gently as I gave it to you. Remind me not to bother next time when you're freezing cold," He shook his head at her in mock disappointment.

Maya burst out laughing. "Sorry," she mumbled as she put her jacket on. Josh sighed. "I'm just so unappreciated," he muttered sadly.

"Hey!" Maya cried out in protest as she started turning off the lights in the cafe. "That's  _so_  not true. For example, I  _really_ appreciate this!" She showed him the flowers he had given her earlier. "And,  _especially,_ this  _beautiful_  piece of artwork." She held up the piece of paper where she had made him draw the smiley and sad faces under the  **BEFORE MAYA & AFTER MAYA** text. "This masterpiece is gonna be in a gallery somewhere one day. I'll make sure of it," She grinned mischievously. "I just need to polish it up a lil bit."

Josh chuckled. "What have I gotten myself into?" He mumbled. This made Maya laugh. "You regretting it already Boing?" She teased him. "It's only been like what- day 1 of the new long game? We got a  _long_ way to go. Get it?  _Long_ way?  _Long_ game? Ok, I'm done."

Josh burst out laughing. "That was really corny Maya," he said.

"I know," Maya replied. "Which is why I'm shutting up now in embarrassment and avoiding eye contact. No judgment, ok?" This made Josh laugh again as he gazed at her affectionately and felt his heart fluttering.

They were standing outside the cafe in the frigid February night. Josh put on his gloves and waited for Maya to put on hers.

"You ready?" He asked her.

Maya nodded. "Yep."

"I take it I'm not getting my beanie back?" He asked her with a knowing grin.

"Nope!" Maya responded as she pulled the beanie a little further down over her head so it completely covered her ears. "So warm!" She exclaimed with a smile.

Josh made a sad face. "My ears are so cold and lonely right now," he mumbled.

"You're wearing a hoodie!" Maya observed.

"It's not enough." Josh whined. "My ears miss the beanie."

Maya chuckled, shaking her head. "Aww, you'll be aight." She tiptoed and stretched her hand to pat his head softly. Josh grinned amusingly at her gesture.

"I had a great time tonight Maya." He told her softly. "There were some interesting twists here and there but overall, I had a  _wonderful_ time."

Maya smiled. "Now, when you say interesting twists, are you referring to my sudden almost confession of my amorous affection for you?"

Josh chuckled. "Well yeah that will definitely be one of them. It's always an interesting time with you Maya. I never quite know what to expect. I should probably start getting used to that."

Maya smiled for a second at that comment and then her expression turned serious and thoughtful. "You know Josh, if I ever get too complicated for you, you know you can always walk away? Right? Like you don't have to stay, if you don't want to. I'd never want you to feel like that."

Josh stared at her with an extremely confused expression on his face- almost as if he was seeing her grow ten heads. After a few seconds, he shook his head slowly and sighed.

" _Oh Maya, Maya, Maya_...Ok, where's your hand?" He asked her.

"Ha?" Maya asked, looking confused.

"Your hand. Gimme. I want it." Josh gestured to her arm with an amused grin.

"Oh, ok." Maya held out her hand, and he immediately grabbed it interlacing his gloved fingers with hers.

"Ok, great. Now, shut up, stop ruining the moment, and let's get you home asap before your dad kills me. I'm  _really_ scared of Shawn by the way." He grinned at her.

Maya chuckled and nodded. "Ok cool. Let's go."

Hand in hand, they walked out into the chilly Valentine's night.


	9. Chapter 9

"Oh my gosh- it's  _so_  cold," Maya muttered as she led the way towards her apartment building.

"I know," Josh agreed. He squeezed her hand softly. "Your hand ok? Let me know when you need it back in your pocket. Sometimes, warmth beats romance, you know what I'm saying?"

Maya giggled. "Yep," she nodded. "I'm good for now though. You? How are your ears doing?"

"Mmm," Josh muttered. "They're still suffering. But it is what it is. I'll be  _aight_ like you said," he grinned at her.

Maya nodded. "Ok. I feel bad though," she said.

"What? About stealing my beanie?" Josh teased her.

"Wow, such a  _strong_ word," Maya protested.

Josh laughed. "I call it as I see it," he responded with a shrug. "But no worries. I can always get another one."

"Um, you might not need to do that," Maya said with a sneaky smile on her face.

"Uh-oh. I know that look. What are you up to, kiddo?" Josh asked curiously.

"Ok, so I was gonna wait til we said our goodbyes but I might as well give it to you now.  _Especially_  since you keep whining about your ears," She told him.

Josh raised his eyebrow in curiosity and amusement as he watched her dig into her bag and pull out a small white bag with the NYU logo on it. They stopped walking for a brief moment as she handed it to him with a big grin on her face. " _Another_ interesting twist!" She cried out. " _Surprise!"_

Josh chuckled as he quickly opened the bag to see what was inside. He gasped in shock and excitement, like a kid on Christmas morning opening up his presents, when he saw a navy blue NYU beanie and a scarf inside.

"Holy crap!" He exclaimed excitedly as he took the beanie and the scarf out of the bag, his eyes lighting up. "You got both these for me, Maya?!" He asked her, shocked.

Maya was all smiles as she watched how excited he was getting. "Well I can't take all the credit. The beanie is from me and Andrew. The scarf is from Riles." She told him.

"Wait,  _What? How?_ I'm lost!" He cried out. Maya burst out laughing at the utterly stupefied look on his face.

"Ok, first things first," she suggested. "Why don't you put them on, we keep walking cos it's freezing out here, and then I explain?"

"Awesome." Josh grinned excitedly. He quickly removed his hoodie, and then took a satisfied look at his new beanie before putting it over his head, and pulling it down to cover his ears. "Ohh…this is a  _wonderful_  feeling." He whispered in a content tone as he patted his head all over to make sure the beanie was completely secure. Maya giggled amusingly. "You have like a thing for beanies. It's kinda cute and slightly creepy," She teased him.

"They are just wonderful inventions," he told her. "They look good  _and_ you're completely warm- at least from the top. I look forward to every winter cos I get to wear these babies." He grinned. Maya just shook her head at him.

"Aren't you gonna wear your niece's scarf?" She suggested.

"Oh yea, of-course!" Josh exclaimed gleefully as he quickly donned the scarf by wrapping it around his neck.

"Ok. Beanie on, scarf on. How do I look?" He asked her excitedly. Maya grinned at him teasingly. "No comment. You should just selfie yourself and find out." She said. Josh raised an eyebrow at her. "What? Too much for you to handle and comment on?" He winked at her. Maya rolled her eyes at him.

Josh chuckled and took out his phone. "Ok, I got a better idea. You and me take a selfie so we can showcase our NYU beanies. Now, bring it in." He motioned excitedly for her to get closer to him. Maya went to stand by his side, her heart thumping as he put his arm around her and brought her even closer so the camera could capture both their faces. "Ok, I think we almost got it," Josh mumbled as he struggled to position the camera at the perfect angle. "If only you were just a  _lil_  bit taller," he teased her softly. Maya balled the hand that she had around his back into a fist and pounded the middle of his back firmly.

"Ow," he muttered with a grin when he felt the soft pound of her fist against his back. Maya smiled. "That was nuthin. It's gonna be my knuckle next time if you tease my height again," She warned him through gritted teeth. Josh chuckled in amusement. "Yes, Ma'am," he replied meekly.

"Ok, ya ready?" He asked, finally satisfied with the camera position. "Sure," Maya responded. "Ok. Smile!" Josh yelled out as he quickly snapped the picture. He could feel his fingers starting to freeze from the cold. He quickly checked the picture to make sure he was satisfied with it, and then nodding his head approvingly, showed it to Maya. "Wadja think?" He asked her.

Maya couldn't help her smile as she stared at the picture fondly for a few seconds. "Not bad, Boing." She commended him. "You're pretty good at these."

"You seem surprised," Josh responded. "I always take the pics at like every family gathering. Haven't you noticed?" He asked.

"Oh yeah. With that camera of yours!" Maya grinned as she started recalling her memories of past Matthews family gatherings.

"Yup. Love that camera. Unfortunately, I left it at home. My pics aint the same without it." Josh shook his head sadly.

"Is that why your Instagram has been so lame and dead lately?" Maya teased him. Josh laughed.

"I see you've been checking."

"Eh, just once in a while, you know, for like a quick sec." She grinned at him. Josh chuckled, "Ri-ight," He responded skeptically.

"Here," Maya handed him back his phone. "I sent the pic to myself and I also made it your phone background picture. I figured you wouldn't mind," She told him.

Josh laughed as he stared at his new phone background photo of their smiling faces in matching NYU beanies. "Oh Maya," he smiled warmly at her and then quickly pocketed his phone. "Alright, it's 10:50!" He said glancing at his watch. "We gotta start running to your place."

"Hold on," Maya said. "Let me take a pic of just you so Riles can see you with the scarf. It's hard to see from just the selfie."

"Um, ok," Josh agreed.

Maya took her phone and snapped a couple photos of him. She checked the photos right after, made a weird face, and then immediately forwarded them to Riley with the caption,  **"Uncle Boing!"**

"I saw that look," Josh questioned her. "Did the pic not turn out well? Can I see it?" He asked.

"Nnope! It's between me and Riles. Let's go!" She grinned and started walking ahead of him. Josh just shook his head in amusement as he followed her.

"Thanks Maya," he told her softly when he caught up in step with her.

"You're welcome!" She responded brightly. "But like I said, I can't take  _all_ the credit."

"Yeah, you still need to tell me the story. Like how did Andrew get involved in you getting me a beanie?" He asked extremely curious.

"Let's see. It all started sometime early last week when I was like, ha, Boing's bday is coming up. What to do? And then, I was like, well, he  _really_ likes beanies. Especially his NYU one which he wears like  _all_  the time and it's like getting old and wrinkly."

Josh burst out laughing. "Maya, I've only had this beanie for like a few months," he patted the beanie that she was wearing.

"'Scuse me? I was telling my story? Can you  _not_ interrupt me please?" She gave him a sassy look. Josh grinned. "Sorry, please continue," he said.

" _Thank you._ Anyways, where was I? Oh yeah, so I was like, I think Boing could use a new beanie and I'll just take the old one. Perfect exchange!"

Josh chuckled.

Maya continued, "So I made a plan to come to NYU - without your knowledge obviously cos then you will easily sniff out my plan- and get the beanie from the bookstore. The  _only_ problem was, I'm not  _that_ familiar with NYU and I didn't want to be wandering around asking random students where the bookstore was. So, I reached out to your bff on Facebook and told him my plan to get you a new beanie, and he was like, 'oh yeah, that's a great idea. He wears that beanie like all the time. He could use a new one.' He asked me when I was planning to come and gave me his number to text or call him when I get there so he could take me to the bookstore. So last week Thursday was when I came to campus- and then I called Andrew, told him where I was, and he met up with me."

"Hold on," Josh asked, his head exploding with numerous questions, "you came by yourself? I thought you went with Riles."

"Sadly, she couldn't come along," Maya responded. "She had to babysit Auggie that day after school cos Matthews had to attend this event at Topanga's job with her so Auggie would have been home alone. I mean, if we had told Matthews and Topanga that we were planning to get you a gift at NYU, maybe they would have probably been fine with it and made other arrangements for Auggie but I didn't want everyone knowing about it - except for Riles of course- because then everyone's in your business or they would probably tell me not to come etc. etc."

"So Riley was the only one who knew about this mini NYU trip?" Josh asked curiously.

"Yep," Maya nodded.

"What did you tell your parents?"

"That I was gonna do my HW at Riles' place, and I also told them what time I would be home. It was a lie, but it's usually  _not_ a lie. It was just that one day."

Josh grinned amusingly. "What if they had found out the truth? You could've gotten in trouble," He asked her.

She shrugged. "I wasn't doing anything terrible," she said. " _And_ it would have been worth it. I mean look at you now with your shiny new beanie," She grinned at him. Josh chuckled as he thought back to just a year ago when she and Riley sneaked into his dorm.

"Last time you and Riley pulled this stunt, you guys got grounded right?" He asked.

"Yep. For like two weeks. Good times," She responded with a fond smile.

"Luckily, this time you didn't get caught. You crazy girl," He grinned, shaking his head at her.

"Well that's cos I'm getting smarter," She reasoned. "I certainly learned that sneaking out at 10pm to go to a college dorm is probably not a good idea no matter how much I'll be scared of witches stealing Boing," She smiled at him.

Josh burst out laughing, "Glad you learned that," he said. "I also have to say that you did a much better job this time around of not only planning what you were going to do but staying safe as well. Involving Andrew once you were on campus, instead of wandering around by yourself, was pretty smart. I'm glad you did that."

"I figured you might approve," Maya grinned.

"Anyways, so tell me the rest of the story once you met up with Andrew," Josh asked.

"Oh, ok," Maya recounted excitedly. "So he took me to the bookstore and showed me the beanie. And then, he wanted to pay for it! And I was like,  _hell, no_. I wouldn't have come  _all_ the way here if I just wanted you to buy it, Andrew. Like what would have been the point of coming over? Anyway, we're standing there like arguing back and forth, and then I'm like, you know what? Why don't we split the cost in half? That way we can  _both_ get credit!" Josh laughs at this part, as he tries to picture the humorous scene of Maya and Andrew arguing back and forth at the NYU bookstore and all the shoppers staring at them strangely. "And even after I suggest we split it in half," Maya continued her story, "Andrew's still like trying to be a perfect gentleman and pay it all, but I ain't having it. So  _finally_ he agrees for us to split it- he's kinda really stubborn, you know."

"I think you two are probably equally stubborn," Josh observed amusingly. "Something tells me this will not be the last time that you two are going to clash until one of you decides to give in and compromise."

"Yeah, that's  _never_ going to be me," Maya stated matter-of-factly. " _He'll_ be the one giving in. Just saying." Josh burst out laughing at this comment.

"I have absolutely no doubt about that," he responded in amusement as he gazed fondly at her. "I'll just be sitting on the sidelines eating popcorn and watching the whole thing go down between you two. It'll be awesome."

Maya giggled at his comment.

"Anyways, to wrap up the story," she said, "we bought the beanie, split the cost in half, and I also got the scarf because Riles asked me to get something for you from her since she couldn't make it. So, that's that."

"And then you left right after?" Josh asked.

"I  _really_ wanted to see you," She smiled shyly at him. "But Andrew convinced me to just go home. He was like, 'you know how he is Maya. He will ask you a million questions until he finally gets the truth outta ya. And then your surprise gift is ruined.' So, it was hard for me, but I listened to him and went home."

Josh smiled warmly at her. "Andrew had a good point. I would have been really curious as to why you were there. Happy to see you, but very curious. And yes, I would have asked like a million questions which would probably have driven you crazy," He told her.

Maya smiled. "You think too much Boing, that's your problem." She told him. "You need to live a little- in the moment. Know what I mean?"

Josh grinned. "Maybe," he admitted. "I'm a little bit of a perfectionist- that's my problem. When you have this need to always have everything be perfect- you tend to think a lot and worry a lot. That makes it hard to live in the moment sometimes."

Maya nodded. "See what you need to remember is that life's not perfect. And you're not perfect. And you're right- I used to think you were, but after tonight, I've  _definitely_ realized you're not."

Josh burst out laughing at this comment. "I'm glad you've finally realized," He admitted.

Maya grinned, "I'm not gonna lie. In another life, maybe your nerdiness and cluelessness would have turned me off, but anywho. The point that I'm trying to make is try not to worry too much.  _You're_ awesome just the way you are- although there are certain things that we can def work on changing but that's a topic for another day." She winked at him. Josh chuckled.

"I dunno," Maya said as she finally came to a stop in-front of a large brown apartment building complex. "Maybe it's because I know good things, or people, don't last forever. And yes, there's a part of me that gets stressed and scared because of that, like I told you earlier. But there's also a part of me that just tries to enjoy what I have when I have it and not stress too much. And I guess that part of me is usually the part that makes me all reckless and crazy sometimes because it's like trying to overcompensate for the very vulnerable other side of me. But, I'm  _really_ glad I met Riley, and your family, when I did. If not for you guys, I really don't know where I would be right now, you know?"

Josh nodded, as he stood facing her, his gaze fixed unflinchingly on her, and his smile growing ever wider and warmer as he listened to her pouring out her soul to him yet again.

"Your family, and Shawn, and you, and my friends this past year ultimately made me realize that hope is not for suckers," She told him. "So I guess in the end I've come to believe that the Universe is looking out for me after all. Although Riley would say that it's God. Matthews also probably. So I'm curious. What would you say, Josh?"

Josh thought for a moment before responding. "I would say that it's God," He answered with a soft smile.

Maya nodded. "Spoken like a true Matthews," She grinned at him. "I don't think you're getting kicked out of the family any time soon."

Josh laughed. "Well, that's good to know," he responded.

"Anyways," Maya turned to face the building. "This is my  _hommme!"_ She spread her arms wide as if she was embracing the entire building.

Josh chuckled as he took a quick glance at his watch. "11:10. Not too bad actually considering how much we had to say to each other on our way here, plus the little photo shoot we did."

Maya laughed. "I know. That was pretty fun."

Josh moved closer to her and lifted her chin gently with his fingers so that she was staring right up at him. "I'm going to give you the kiss that you wanted earlier." He told her softly. "Apologies for the long wait. Wanted to save the best for last." He grinned at her. Maya smiled warmly at him as she closed her eyes and waited in anticipation. Josh leaned in closer and she could feel his breath tickling her nostrils. "By the way," she heard him whisper before he touched his lips with hers, "you look  _really_ good in that beanie." Maya's heart pounded against her chest as he finally kissed her. It was a slow, gentle kiss - the kind which neither one was willing to disengage from no matter how much they were both in need of air. It took hearing the sound of the apartment building gate being opened for them to finally break off the kiss. They both stared in slight alarm at the person who had opened the gate and was exiting the building to see if it was someone they recognized. It wasn't. Maya sighed in relief.

"I should probably get inside," She murmured, grinning.

"Yeah, you probably should," Josh nodded as he tried to calm himself down. The last thing he needed on the final hour of his birthday night was Shawn walking in unexpectedly on him kissing his daughter.

"Thanks again for everything tonight, Maya," He told her. "For the dinner, your company, the beanie- everything. I can guarantee you 100% that tonight was definitely my most memorable birthday yet. And I've celebrated a lot of birthdays over the years." He smiled at her.

"You're welcome. I'm glad you had a good time, despite my making things a bit awkward at times," Maya replied.

Josh grinned. "Don't worry about it." He patted her head gently and shifted the beanie back so that he could give her a soft kiss on the forehead. "I had a perfect night because I was with you." He told her softly. "And that's all that matters. Have a good night, Maya." He beamed at her.

"You too, Josh," Maya whispered softly. "Text me when you get home?" She asked him. Josh laughed. "Sure. At our usual time, 12am right?" He teased her. "You  _really_ should be sleeping at that time, I'm just saying. You know, you need at least 8 hours of sleep every night-"

"Uh-uh. Nope. Not now," Maya put her finger on his lips to shut him up. "No nerdy lecture needed past 11pm. That's a law Boing." She told him.

Josh chuckled and raised his hands up in surrender. "Ok, I'm all shut up. Sorry Officer," He grinned at her. "Tell your Mom I'm going to call her tomorrow to thank her. It's too late now." He told her.

"Ok," Maya nodded.

"And, we'll talk about this later but I'm going to need to chat with Cor and Shawn soon- about us." He said.

"Wait, what?" Maya asked, shocked. "Why?"

"I think it's time." Josh tried to explain, "I mean we have a new long game deal, and we're probably going to be hanging out a lot more. Like, for example, our upcoming tutoring sessions. I don't know about you but I don't feel like hiding any of these things from your parents, or specifically, from your dad. It's just going to make it feel like we're doing something wrong- which we're not doing. So I think it's time they know what's going on and hopefully, a fruitful discussion will come out of it. And then, there will be no need to lie anymore, or hide. Know what I mean?"

Maya just shook her head at him and sighed frustratingly. "Remember when I said you  _think_ too much? I'm afraid this is one of those times, Boing. I mean, yeah, I'm not a fan of hiding or lying either but has it occurred to you that this could easily backfire if you talk to them _now_? They might freak out and then I'm going to be chaperoned everywhere I go like poor Riley and Lucas and we might never see each other again because you're 3 years older than me and in college! You see what I'm saying?"

Josh laughed. "Hopefully, it won't be that bad. I've known them my whole life Maya. I mean, Shawn is like my non-biological uncle. In-fact I used to call him Uncle Shawn when I was a kid. He  _really_  likes me."

Maya couldn't believe that he still wasn't understanding where she was coming from. "Yeah, he likes you  _now_ Josh until the moment he finds out you're romantically interested in his adopted daughter and already have this semi-convoluted long game deal planned with her. Oh, and that you've also been kissing her. I dunno Josh. What could possibly go wrong once he hears that?" She asked him sarcastically.

"I have  _nothing_  but good intentions here. And I think he will see that," Josh said confidently. "I mean if I was some random college guy then yeah, that would be a big problem. But I'm family. He  _knows_ me, Maya."

"Oh God," Maya threw her head back in frustration. "There's  _nothing_ that I can say to convince you  _not_ to do this?" She asked.

Josh sighed. "We can talk about this later and see if we can reach some sort of compromise. Maybe there are certain things we can tell them  _now,_ and some information we can withhold until later on. I definitely don't want to put you in an uncomfortable position Maya. But I feel like we're practically in the same family- which is great by the way. And everything we do, every decision we make from now on, it's going to affect our family. I want us to be honest with our family. I don't want us to hide from them. And that's because I care about you, and our long game, and our friendship, and whatever it is beyond friendship that we have going on. I want us to do things right. And from personal experience, doing things right in any relationship always requires being honest not only to each other but also to the people around you who you care about and who will be your support system. So,  _that's_ where I'm coming from. But this is all too much to discuss now. So sorry I brought it up. We can talk more about it when I see you on Saturday at Cor and Topanga's maybe?"

Maya nodded. "Sure, or before. Maybe a phone call or Facetime perhaps? Things might get too busy on Saturday to discuss this." She suggested.

"Ok," Josh agreed.

" _Ugh_ ," Maya sighed. "Sometimes you're just  _too much_  for me Boing Matthews," she made a face at him.

Josh smiled. "Sorry. Just applying certain lessons that I've learned from the past I guess," he shrugged, as he thought about the text message he had seen earlier from Anna.

"We need to talk about your past," Maya said. "I need to know what the heck happened that's made you as anal as you are now."

"Wow." Josh laughed. "That's not a very nice word, Maya."

"Oh I know. But at this moment, you deserve it," She teased him.

Josh shook his head sadly at her. "Such verbal abuse on my birthday," He sighed.

Maya grinned, shrugging. All of a sudden, the sound of her ringtone pierced the quiet night surrounding them.

" _Crap_!" Maya muttered as she saw the caller ID. "Hey Mom!" She answered in a bright, high-pitched tone. "Yeah, I'm actually right downstairs. We arrived a few minutes ago- we were just saying goodbye. Yeah, he said he will call you tomorrow to say thank you...Yeah, he really liked it. He had a great time...yeah...uh-huh. Ok, so I'll be upstairs in a sec...Ok, see you soon Mom. Bye." She hung up the phone and smiled at Josh. "Guess that's it Boing! I gotta go."

He grinned. "K, goodnight Maya. I'll see you on Saturday?"

Maya nodded. "And we will talk before then?"

Josh nodded. "Sure."

Maya approached him and wrapped her arms around him tightly in an embrace while laying her head on his chest. They stayed like that for a few seconds before Maya loosened the embrace and tiptoed to place a soft kiss on his cheek. "Bye!" She said brightly after kissing him. Josh beamed at her. "Bye, Maya," he responded softly.

He waited until Maya entered the building and turned around to give him a final goodbye wave before he left. As he made his way to the nearest subway station, he said a short prayer in his head asking God to always look out for her and to help him do right by her.  _Don't let me screw things up_. He prayed silently.  _Don't let me hurt her._ If there's one lesson he had learned from his past, it was that he wasn't immune to breaking the heart of the one person that he had supposedly cared about. He could only pray that he wouldn't make the same mistakes again and destroy an innocent girl's newfound hope and trust in life and in him.


	10. Chapter 10

"I have a bad feeling about this, Boing!" Maya's voice rang out from his phone as Josh rushed around trying to get ready for his birthday dinner at Cory and Topanga's in an hour, while also listening to Maya's last minute attempt to convince him  _not_  to speak to Cory and Shawn that evening about the nature of their current relationship.

"Maya, we spoke about this," Josh sighed as he donned his shirt and started buttoning up. "I'm not going to tell them  _everything_. Just the important stuff that  _we_ think they should know. Didn't we agree on this yesterday? It's gonna be fine."

"I hope so," Maya responded tentatively.

"By the way, just so you know," he continued with a small smile as he walked closer to the phone, "I missed my Friday night video game session with Drew because of our convo last night. He was  _not_  pleased."

"Doesn't he have a girlfriend? How come he's not hanging out with her? It's not like you're always going to be available!" Maya retorted.

Josh laughed. "He  _did_  hang out with her, but Jas' not gonna be playing video games with him for hours. Hence, he still needs me around, ya know?"

" _Ay ya yai_!" Maya cried out, "Well, that's just too bad, but he'll be aight.  _We_ have more pressing issues to deal with."

Josh smiled. "Anyway, where are you right now?" He asked curious.

"In my room," Maya replied. "I'm waiting for da parents so we can all head out together."

"Ha," Josh responded as he put on his jacket and glanced at his watch, "thought you woulda been at the bay window by now yapping away with Riles."

"Nah, busy day today. Mom wanted to bake you something so she asked me to help and then it turned into an all day bake session. Long story short, we're bringing a lotta desserts for dinner."

" _Nice._ I  _love_ your Mom!" Josh exclaimed. Maya laughed. "Well that's good cos she feels the same way about you too."

"I got the feeling when I spoke to her on Thursday that she pretty much knows everything about us and like one hundred percent approves," Josh said as he eyed his hair in the mirror and wondered if he should do anything to it.

"Well,  _almost_ everything." Maya answered. "She definitely doesn't know about the kissing and  _you're not_ gonna mention that to CorShawn right?"

Josh laughed at the couple nickname that she had randomly given to Cory and Shawn. He decided to leave his hair alone and simply pulled his beanie over it.

"For the millionth time kiddo, no, I'm not gonna mention any kissing in my little summary when I speak to them," he reassured her as he sat down on his bed, grabbed the phone and took it off speaker mode so he could press it to his ear. " _However,_ like I told you yesterday, if they  _do_ ask me about it, I'll have to tell them the truth."

Maya sighed loudly. "I have so many things to say right now but given the fact that you're still the birthday boy, I shall control myself. All I  _can_  say is, I have a bad feeling about this. This is  _not_ gonna end well," She reiterated.

Josh sighed. "You sure you don't wanna join in on the convo as well? We can talk to them together?"

"Um, one hundred percent  _no_." Maya responded emphatically. " _Too_  awkward. This is  _your_ idea Boing and you're gonna have to deal with it yourself. I'm  _not_  getting involved. Anything goes wrong, I don't know you."

Josh chuckled in amusement. "Wow. Ok then. Point made, Ms. Hunter," He said.

"That's right," She responded.

"Wanna facetime me for a lil bit?" He asked her.

"You done moving around?" Maya asked.

"Yep. I'm all ready. Just need to head out the door."

"Ok. Call u in a sec."

Within two seconds, his phone was ringing again. He quickly accepted her Facetime call and grinned amusingly at the sight of her frowning face.

"Aww come on, you're not gonna give the birthday boy a smile?" He teased her.

" _Nope_. Me not happy. Nice beanie though," Maya immediately responded as she pouted at him.

"Then why'd I ask you to facetime me for? I was hoping to see a smile." He stated matter-of-factly.

"Well ya outta luck, boy," Maya responded with a straight face and a shrug.

Josh chuckled. "Hm...lemme see...how to make you smile…?" He pondered for a few seconds until he suddenly got an idea. Walking over to his desk, he held his phone straight up on top of the desk so that Maya could see the framed photos he had set up there.

"I want you to check out these photos," He told her excitedly. "I have a lot of photos obviously but these five are really important to me. Ok, here's the first one. Recognize it?" He moved the phone closer to the first framed picture.

"Um, yeah. That's the group photo from last two Christmases when I first called you Uncle Boing and you called me Gorgeous," Maya responded casually.

Josh laughed. "Of course you would remember that," He said shaking his head amusingly.

"Now  _this_ one you weren't there for. Christmas last year with the whole family in Philly." He moved the phone to the second photo which had every single Matthews in it as well as Mr. Feeny, their elderly neighbor and the Matthews kids' former teacher.

"Oh, nice," Maya replied. "We did our own thing last Christmas. First Christmas as a fam with Mom and Shawn's marriage and all."

"Yeah of course," Josh responded. "You guys definitely needed that time for yourselves. Ok, third photo! My parents and I- when I arrived on campus last August to officially start college." He moved the phone so Maya could see the details of the third photograph.

"Cute," Maya replied. "Wait, didn't Cory, Topanga and Riles come to this too?"

"Yes, they did! Check out the fourth photo! Cool uncle coming thru!" It was a picture of Josh, Auggie and Riley standing in front of what looked like Josh's dorm. Auggie was straddled on top of Josh's shoulders with a goofy grin on his face and his arms spread out wide as he pretended to be an airplane. Riley was all smiles as she stood next to Josh and Auggie.

"Awww," Maya responded with a fond smile as she gazed at the photograph.

" _There_ it is." Josh pointed out as he checked her facial expression. "You are smiling!"

This made Maya roll her eyes and frown at him. "Ugh can you move your face away so I can keep looking at the picture please? Thank you." Josh chuckled and re-positioned the phone so she could continue staring at the photograph.

"You know," Josh observed, "you would've probably been in this pic if you had shown up that day. I remember asking Riley about you. She just said you were busy and it seemed like she didn't want to go into details so I didn't press it."

" _Ye-ahh_ , I wasn't busy." Maya admitted. "I was just a lil embarrassed about showing up that's all."

"Wait, why?" Josh asked.

"Well the last time I came to NYU and ended up telling my feelings to  _all_  your friends was pretty embarrassing for me, although I didn't regret doing it at the time. Anywho, after that night, we didn't see each other again. So let's just say I felt super awkward tagging along with your family a few months later to help you move into college. I just kinda thought you would feel awkward having me around, and I would feel awkward too. So I didn't come." She shrugged.

Josh nodded in understanding. "Makes sense," He said. "Especially since you didn't know how I was feeling at the time and I certainly wasn't going to address it. So it would probably have been a little awkward. But anyway, I'm glad we're past that stage," He smiled.

" _And n_ _ow_ ," He announced excitedly,"the last but  _certainly_  not the least photograph of the evening. Are you _readayyyy_?!"

Maya shrugged nonchalantly. "You're making a really big deal about this. Lemme guess, it's a cute pic of you getting your Boy scout award when you were like 11? For good behavior and basically being perfect?" She teased him.

"Not a bad guess, but I was never a Boy Scout," Josh replied.

"That's interesting cos you certainly act like one," Maya responded. "Neways, lemme see the darn pic already. Unless it's a flaming hot pic of you shirtless, I don't really get your excitement right now."

Josh grinned. "Oh, I don't display those. I keep those pics hidden on my phone." He winked at her.

"Oh.  _Holy crap_ ," Maya burst out laughing at his comment.

" _Just_ kidding….or am I?" He responded mischievously.

Maya just shook her head at him in shock. "Never thought I would see the day when Good Ole Boing turned naughty," She teased him. "I could definitely get used to this side of ya."

Josh chuckled. " _Ye-ah_ , let's change the topic," he suggested as he scratched the back of his head nervously and cleared his throat loudly. "Here's the last photo." He shifted the phone so that she could see it.

Maya gasped in shock as the last framed photograph came into view. It was the selfie they had taken together just three days ago on his birthday. She couldn't believe her eyes as she gaped at the portrait of their smiling, beanie-clad faces perched serenely on his desk- almost as if it had always been there. He had actually chosen it as one of his five favorite photos- worthy of display to the world. Maya was speechless.

"Hello there. You doing ok?" Josh asked as he re-positioned his phone so they could see each other's faces again. Maya nodded as she felt her eyes slowly start to prickle with tears. Josh picked up on her facial expression right away.

"Uh-oh. You know, I showed you this to make you smile...but it looks like I caused the opposite reaction. I'm sorry," He told her softly.

"It's ok," Maya responded as she smiled warmly at him, and blinked back her tears. "I'm not gonna cry. I think my eyes are just allergic to really cheesy, cute or super unexpected sweet things that this guy called Boing sometimes does. But I've got an unlimited supply of  _Claritin_ , so I think I'm gonna be fine."

Josh grinned widely and affectionately at her. "Good," he replied. "Cos this Boing guy sounds like trouble. Keep that  _Claritin_  handy- you gotta protect yoself, gurl."

Maya chuckled softly at this, while shaking her head at him in amusement. " _Ye-ahh_ , turns out I really like this Boing guy, despite all the trouble." She grinned at him.

Josh felt his heart skip a beat. "Well then, looks like you're gonna be stocking up on  _Claritin_ for a long while to come," He joked. Maya smiled warmly in return and for a few seconds they were lost in each other's gaze.

"Hey kid, you ready? We gotta go," Shawn's voice broke the trance between them as Maya quickly lowered her phone.

"Um yeah," She responded with a small smile. "I'll be there in a sec. I just...need to grab my bag."

"Ok," Shawn replied. "We're downstairs. See ya." He closed her door and walked away.

Maya lifted her phone again- only to see a dark screen.

"Josh? You still there?" She called out to him.

"Yep, hold on." He responded. She heard some movement in the background before his face re-appeared on her phone.

"I heard Shawn. You guys ready to leave?" He asked.

"Yep."

"Yeah, me too. Trying not to be late considering I'm the guest of honor, but we'll see," He grinned.

"You got like ten minutes to get there on time. Don't think that's gonna happen unless you can fly," Maya teased him.

Josh sighed. "No flying skills unfortunately but will do my best. Alright. I'm heading out. See you soon?"

"Yep. Bye."

"Bye Maya."

Josh hung up and grabbed his wallet and keys before heading out the door. It took him 5 minutes to get to the subway. As he waited for a train, he decided to send a couple of text messages. The first one was to Maya.

**Josh** : _Hey, just wanted to reassure you (again) not to stress too much about tonight's CorShawn convo. I feel like ultimately it's going to be less stressful for us if they know what's going on. I'll make sure to work my lovely charm on them so try not to worry :)_

Maya responded almost immediately.

**Maya** :  _You believing that your "lovely charm" will work on Shawn Hunter is exactly what makes me worried ;) Matthews doesn't count. He's your brother after all. See you soon, Boing. I'll make sure to plan a "lovely" funeral for you once it's all over :D_

Josh grinned upon reading her reply.

With the train two minutes away, he decided to send his second text message. He already had the draft of the message written a couple days ago but kept hesitating to send it. He just couldn't help feeling uneasy about the entire exchange, and as usual, his thoughts were running wild as to exactly what her motives were for finally reaching out after two years of silence following their painful breakup the second semester of their Sophomore year at John Adams.  _Did she just want to catch up? Or to get some basic info about his experience at NYU which she had apparently applied to? Did she want closure? Did she want to be friends again? Was it all of the above? Was_ _ **he**_ _ready to talk to her_ _ **now**_ _at this point in his life and with everything that was going on in his life?_ Needless to say, he was overthinking everything and ended up not sending the message. But now, as he stood waiting for the train to attend his birthday dinner where he would eventually initiate a candid conversation with the father of the girl who could captivate him with a mere glance, he knew that it was time to hit the send button. It was time to face his past and resolve it so that he could finally move on.  _The guilt he still felt whenever he thought of her and how things had ended between them...the regret he still felt that his insensitivity and cluelessness ultimately cost him his best friend...the gnawing fear deep within him that she would not be the last to suffer from his mistakes_... It was time for all these feelings that had been weighing him down for two years now in his own dungeon of sadness to finally be resolved. As conflicted as he had been when he first saw her message, he couldn't deny the fact that there was a huge part of him that felt relieved. He finally had a chance to make amends and to hopefully be forgiven. He finally had a chance to truly move on. Reviewing the message one more time and feeling satisfied with the content, he took a deep breath, and hit the send button:

_**Josh:** _ _Hey Anna! Thanks for the birthday wish! Really appreciate it. NYU is great! And I'm sure so is Columbia since it's Ivy League and all lol. I hope you get into your top choice school- I'm sure you will. I certainly wouldn't mind catching up with you and sharing my experiences at NYU. Perhaps we could do it in person? I'm coming back home for Spring break in March. So I'll be around the week of March 18th and will be leaving on Sunday, March 24th. Let me know whenever you will be available that week and maybe we can catch up? Hope all is well with you. Talk to you later._

The train finally arrived. He stepped in confidently, immediately inserted his earphones and allowed the rhythm of  _Coldplay_ 's newest album and the lull of the moving train to carry him to his destination. 


	11. Chapter 11

**Riley** :  _Uncle Josh! Exactly how far away are you? No worries- just wondering :)_

**Josh:** _Hey Riles! I'm 5 min away. Sorry I'm running late. Train took a while._

**Riley:** _No, it's ok! See you soon! :))_

**Josh:** _See ya :)_

**Maya:** _Yo, where u at? You are taking forevaaa_

Josh grinned when he saw Maya's text just seconds after he had finished replying to Riley's message.

**Josh:** _Geez, I'm almost there. I know ure dying to see me, but ya need to relax. I'm like only 10 min late._

**Maya:** _DISLIKE: "I know ure dying to see me"- puh-leeze boy. In ur dreams._

**Josh:** _"The lady doth protest too much, methinks"- Hamlet ;) Read it yet? It's my fav Shakespeare._

**Maya:** _Of-course ull be quoting Shakespeare at this time cos u know- totally normal...NOT. Insert "major eye-roll and gouging eyes emojis." Boy- just get ur butt here. Ya LATE. It's 12 min now._

Josh bounded up the stairs once he finally reached Cory and Topanga's brownstone apartment in Greenwich Village. He was now feeling a little guilty about his late arrival due to Riley and Maya's texts. He could only assume that dinner had been ready exactly at 7pm- due to Topanga's perfect time management and planning of course- and now they were all seated at the dining table awkwardly waiting for him to arrive 15 minutes later.  _Ugh_ ,  _way to go Matthews...you're holding up errbody..._ he thought to himself as he grabbed the key that Cory and Topanga had given him a year ago once he had started visiting their apartment more frequently. Unlocking the door, he flung it open and immediately announced himself:

"HEYY FAMILY! Sorry I'm late. Bit of tra-"

"SURPRISE!"

"Woah!" He exclaimed in slight shock as Riley jumped on him - almost knocking him to the ground- and locked him in a bone-crushing hug while yelling, "Happy birthday Uncle Josh!"

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOSH!" The rest of the family yelled in unison.

When Riley finally let go of him and he could breathe again, he responded: "Wow. Thanks Riles," He smiled warmly at her as he placed his arm affectionately around her and drew her to his side. "Dang Niece- I swear you keep getting taller. Soon you'll be almost my height." Riley giggled at his comment.

"And thanks everyone for the  _warm_  welcome," He addressed the adults who were congregated at the dining table and grinning widely at him. Scanning the group quickly, he immediately noticed the absence of both Maya and Auggie. "But not to be a party pooper or that smart-ass guy- how is this a surprise if I already knew about tonight? Am I missing sum'in?" He gave them a confused look.

"Dad? Your turn." Riley said with a wide smile. Josh glanced at her with a curious and amused expression.

"MA BROTHA!" Cory yelled out as he approached Josh with open arms. "MA BROTHA!" Josh responded as he walked into Cory's embrace. Chuckling amusingly, they gave each other a tight hug and patted each other's backs for a few seconds before letting go.

"Lemme look atcha!" Cory said as he leaned back and observed Josh's appearance from head to toe.

"Cor, you saw me like a few weeks ago," Josh pointed out with an amused grin.

"Yeah, but that was BEFORE you were 18.  _My God,_ it's not fair Shawnie! He got  _all_ the looks in the family didn't he?" Cory whined as he glanced at his best friend Shawn who was comfortably seated at the dining table, his legs crossed and his arm thrown casually around his wife, Katy, who was seated next to him.

"Hmm, perhaps Cor," Shawn responded. "But Baby Matthews still can't hold a candle to your cuteness and your  _irresistible_ charm. I mean, you still got it Cor. Don't let the baby intimidate ya."

"Aww, thanks Shawnie! You always know how to make me feel betta." Cory said in a child-like voice as he beamed at his best friend. Everybody else around them took turns rolling their eyes as they observed the spontaneous emotional scene between the two men with immense amusement but little surprise.

"Eh-hem," Riley loudly cleared her throat. " _Dad!_ The surprise! They're waiting for the code-word!"

"Oh right," Cory turned his attention away from Shawn and back to Josh. "Ma Brotha," He said as he placed his hand affectionately on Josh's shoulder, "You're right. There's not much we could have surprised you with tonight, but the girls still wanted to do something so...here goes! Um, what's the code-word again Riley? Sorry, I forgot."

Riley rolled her eyes and muttered "unbelievable" under her breath before answering. " _Tacos_ \- Dad. It's 'tacos'. We literally just went over this."

"Right! That's it. Ok, Josh, watch this," He told him excitedly. "TACOS, MUCHACHOS! TACOS HAS ARRIVED! I REPEAT, TACOS IN DA HOUSE!" Cory yelled out as everyone turned towards the direction of the kitchen with great anticipation.

"Lemme guess, Maya came up with the code-word?" Josh asked Riley as they waited for the "surprise" to finally be revealed now that the code-word had been mentioned. Riley grinned at his question and simply nodded her head.

"And lemme guess. I'm 'Tacos,' right? That's what Cor meant by 'Tacos has arrived'?" He asked her, curious to piece it all together.

Riley nodded her head again. "Maya  _does_  really like 'Tacos'," She said as she gave Josh a knowing look. Josh chuckled softly at that comment as he bit his lower lip in immense amusement.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" Maya announced as she came out of the kitchen and faced the group. "Sorry for the delay! There was a  _tiny_ hissy fit between the married couple but all has now been resolved. So now that 'Tacos' is  _finally_ here," She grinned as she made eye-contact with Josh, "it is my great honor to introduce to you all on this special night-  _the one, the only- Mr. and Mrs. Auggie Doggie Matthewwwwwwws_!"

"Whoooooo!" Everybody cheered and clapped.

Auggie and Ava appeared at the entrance of the kitchen holding on a tray what appeared to be a beanie hat-shaped birthday cake with the letters " **NYU** " written at the top and " **Happy 18th Josh**!" in the middle. On top of the cake was a number 18 candle. Josh grinned from ear to ear when he saw the cake and immediately made eye-contact with Maya who grinned at him mischievously.

The two kids started singing the Happy Birthday song as they walked slowly with the cake to set it on the dining table. As everyone stood and joined in the singing, Josh felt his insides warming up with pure joy. Riley grabbed his hand and led him to the head of the table where Auggie and Ava placed the cake in-front of him. Once they finished singing and everyone started cheering, Maya motioned for silence.

"Wonderful singing guys! I give you all an A+ for  _effort_ ," She teased them. "I think Uncle Tacos  _really_ enjoyed it too. He was looking quite emotional. You ok there Tacocito?" She asked him. Josh grinned in amusement at her teasing.

"I'm doing great, Maya. Thanks for asking," He replied with a bright smile.

"Awesome! Moving right along then. Mr. Auggie Doggie- I believe you had a speech for Uncle Tacos?" She asked.

"Yes, I do, Ms. Maya," Auggie nodded his head and cleared his throat. "May I commence my speech now?"

"The floor is all yours, Mister. Knock yourself out!" Maya replied.

"Thank you, Ms. Maya," Auggie responded and then turned to face Josh. "Happy birthday Uncle Josh! I know I have like two uncles- well, three if I'm counting you, Uncle Shawn- but you're like a fake uncle so  _maybe_ I shouldn't include you…?" Everyone burst out laughing at this point as they stared at Auggie with a mixture of amusement and affection. Shawn simply shook his head as he grinned affectionately at the precocious 6-year-old.

"I swear Cor, you have the cutest kids," He told him.

"That's how I do it, Shawnie. Like you said, I still got it!" Cory beamed as he gave Auggie a proud thumbs-up.

"I think you meant, that's how  _we_ do it," Topanga commented as she grinned amusingly at her husband.

"You're absolutely right, Sweetheart. That's  _exactly_ what I meant. Right Shawn?" Cory anxiously looked to his best friend to rescue him.

"That's what the man meant Topanga. I heard him loud and clear!" Shawn stated.

"EXCUSE ME! AUGGIE HAS  _NOT_ FINISHED HIS SPEECH! YOU ALL KEEP INTERRUPTING HIM AND NOW HE'S NERVOUS!  _ABSOLUTELY_   _DIS-RESPECTFUL_!" Ava yelled out, taking everyone by surprise. There was an awkward silence for two seconds before they all burst out laughing at the absurdity of her extreme outburst. Ava did not look pleased.

" _Wow,_ isn't  _she_  a feisty one," Shawn commented once the laughter died down, his mouth agape as he stared at Ava in shock.

"You have  _no_  idea," Topanga muttered under her breath as she sighed wearily. "Sorry Ava. You're right. We shouldn't have interrupted Auggie," She gave her a conciliatory smile.

"It's ok, Topanga. Your apology is accepted." Ava replied with a satisfied smirk which made Topanga roll her eyes.

"And sorry, Sweetheart. You may finish your speech now," She encouraged Auggie with a bright smile.

"And Auggie, no need to worry about including me. Just focus on your  _real_ uncles for now, ok? I'm too cool to be in the same category with them anyway," Shawn reassured him with a wide grin.

"Ok Uncle Shawn. And sorry I called you fake. That was kinda mean," Auggie retorted.

"Don't worry about it, kid," Shawn replied with a dismissive wave of his hand. "I've been called  _many_ names by your dad back in the day. He was  _really_ mean to me. What you said is  _nothing_." Cory and Topanga chuckled amusingly at this comment.

"Ok," Auggie replied with a grin, and continued his speech. "Uncle Josh, I just wanted to let you know that you're my  _bestest_ and  _coolest_ uncle."

"Awwwww," Everyone murmured. Josh felt his heart soaring as he gazed affectionately at Auggie- his grin growing ever wider as Auggie's heartfelt speech continued.

"Thank you for always taking me out to do cool stuff and sometimes helping me with Math and Baseball, and always carrying me on your shoulders. It's  _really_ fun. I love you Uncle Josh!" He grinned widely at him and moved to give him a hug.

"Oh what a little cutie pie!" Katy cried out as she wiped a tear from her face.

Josh was on the verge of tears himself as he bent down and received Auggie's hug. He didn't think his heart could expand any larger than it had in that moment as he held onto his nephew. To hear Auggie express so sincerely how much he meant to him was a pleasant surprise and the greatest gift he could have ever received for his birthday. He couldn't help tearing up a bit as he thought of all the fun, bonding moments they had shared together such as the first time he met baby Auggie and boldly tried to change his diapers only to have Auggie spray him with his urine. At the time, Cory laughed when he noticed Josh's horrified face, and then tried to reassure the 12-year-old that being urinated on was simply baby Auggie's way of showing his love for his awesome uncle and godfather. "Um, I don't want him to love me anymore then," Josh replied straightforwardly. His response made Cory laugh so hard that a startled baby Auggie started crying from the noise.

"I love you too Augs. You are my  _favorite_ nephew." Josh said as he winked at Auggie and hoisted him up onto his shoulders. "Yayy!" Auggie cried out excitedly.

Maya felt her heart melting as she gazed upon the scene with a wide grin on her face. She took her phone and snapped a quick picture of the pair.

"Wanna play airplane?" Josh asked Auggie as he sat contentedly on his shoulders.

Auggie thought for a few seconds before responding. "Nah...let's eat cake first!"

This made everyone burst into laughter.

"AUGGIE! AUGGIE! I WANT TO SIT UP THERE TOO! CAN YOU LIFT ME UP TOO UNCLE JOSH?!" Ava yelled making everyone jump in surprise at her loud outburst.

" _Oh my God_ Cor where did you get this kid from? Seriously." Shawn asked extremely amused. Cory simply shook his head while Topanga sighed heavily.

"Ava, honey, you  _have_ to try and use your inside voice. Try not to yell when everyone can hear you. Ok?" Topanga advised her.

"Oh, ok," Ava replied. "But I can still go up too? Can Uncle Josh lift  _me_  too?!"

" _No,_ sweetie, not now," Topanga responded to her through gritted teeth.

"But, why  _not_  Topanga? Auggie's up! Why can't Uncle Josh lift me too? It's  _not_  fair!" Ava argued stomping her feet.

"Because you don't have to do  _everything_ Auggie does, Ava. Sometimes you  _have_ to let Auggie do his own thing," Topanga said firmly.

"But-"

"Nope.  _Not_ another word out of you."

" _Yikes,"_ Cory muttered under his breath.

"We will cut the cake now." Topanga announced authoritatively as she turned her attention away from Ava to the group. "Katy, can you please help me grab some plates and utensils? I think I have a pack of disposables upstairs in our storage closet."

"Sure," Katy replied and quickly followed Topanga up the stairs.

There was an awkward silence for a few seconds after Topanga and Katy left in which the only sounds heard were Ava's sobs.

"Hey Ava, come over here," Maya called out to the 7-year-old who was now looking mopey and teary eyed. Ava ambled over to where Maya was standing by the entrance to the kitchen. Maya smiled sweetly at her when she arrived and gently wiped her tears.

"Ava," She spoke to her softly, "I think what Topanga was trying to say is that Uncle Josh is scared of cooties. Like  _really_ scared. And he thinks  _all_ girls have cooties. That's why he only lifts Auggie." Riley, Cory, Shawn and most of all, Josh, burst out in robust laughter when they heard Maya's explanation. Auggie and Ava just looked confused.

" _But_ wanna know something cool?" Maya continued. "Maybe next time if you're not wearing your cute dress, and you're wearing jeans or pants, he can lift you up cos he'll just think you're a boy. Get it?"

"But isn't he too  _old_ to be scared of cooties?" Ava asked. "Auggie isn't scared of cooties. Right Auggie?"

"Not me, Schnookums," Auggie responded confidently. The group chuckled at his response as Cory gaped at his son in extreme shock.

"Auggie, _how_ d'you know that word?" He asked him.

"What word?" Auggie asked innocently.

" _Schnookums ..._ How do you know the word  _schnookums_?"

Auggie shrugged. "From you. You call Mommy that sometimes. I listen to  _everything_ , you know?"

Shawn burst out laughing at this comment while Cory just stood there silently, his mouth hanging open in shock.

"It's not funny Shawnie!" Cory whined as Shawn kept laughing at him.

"Oh but it  _is,_  Cor," Shawn teased him. "You heard the kid. He listens to  _everything._ Be-careful what you tell Mommy tonight, eh?"

"EWWWWWWWWWW!" Riley and Maya both screamed in unison, while Josh started laughing at their reaction. This was precisely the reason why he looked forward to family gatherings. They were far more entertaining than reality TV shows especially when certain characters like Shawn Hunter or his crazy older brother, Eric Matthews, were involved.

Auggie and Ava looked confused for a few seconds- not quite understanding the implication of Shawn's comment- but decided to join Riley and Maya in yelling "Ewwwww" as well.

"Well looks like the fun has finally started!" Topanga exclaimed as she and Katy arrived with a pack of disposable plates and utensils.

"Yea, what did we miss?" Katy asked curiously.

"Oh not much. Just that your husband has a POTTY mouth!" Maya pointed to Shawn and made a disgusted face at him. Josh chuckled.

" _No_  idea what she's talking about, Honey," Shawn answered as he gave Katy a playful wink and a quick peck on the cheek. Katy just shook her head at him in amusement.

"Mom, Maya said that Uncle Josh is scared of girls cos he thinks they have cooties!" Auggie exclaimed. "That's why he can't lift Ava. Uncle Josh, is that true? Or is Maya  _messing_ with us?" He gave Maya a suspicious look.

All eyes were on Josh as he took a moment to ponder his response.

"Maya is right Augs," Josh responded in a solemn tone. "I  _am_ scared of girls...and cooties. It's really sad actually. I'm sorry Ava," He gave Ava a sorrowful look. Maya couldn't stop grinning as she gazed at him.

"But Ava, Maya made a  _really_  good point," He continued. "If you're wearing jeans or pants next time, I'll probably think you're a boy and then I might be able to lift you up like Auggie."

" _Really_? I could just trick you like that?" Ava asked in disbelief.

"Yeah. I'm not that smart. You know, you should always listen to Maya. She's  _really_ smart." Josh flashed Maya a warm smile.

"Why,  _thank you_  Uncle Josh," Maya responded as she gazed adoringly at him. For a brief moment, the two held each other's gaze, with silly grins on their faces, seemingly lost in their own world.

Shawn curiously observed the interaction between the two with an utterly confused look on his face.

"What the  _heck_ is going on here Cor?!" He finally asked.

Riley giggled softly, while Topanga and Katy immediately started laying out the plates and utensils, pretending as if they hadn't heard his question.

"Shawn buddy?" Cory said.

"Ye-es?" Shawn responded.

"You ever heard of 'don't ask, don't tell'?"

Shawn nodded. "Yeah like in the military."

"Uh-huh. I'm afraid whatever the heck is going on now is one of the those situations. You don't wanna know buddy." Cory said.

"KATY?!" Shawn called out to his wife in a panicked tone.

"Okay! I think we should  _really_ cut this cake now. What do you think Topanga?" Katy asked Topanga with a fixed smile on her face.

"I think that's a  _great_ idea Katy!" Topanga agreed enthusiastically. "Josh, you ready?"

Josh looked up at Auggie who was still comfortably perched on his shoulders.

"I'm ready when you are buddy," He told him.

"YES!  _Finally._ Let's do it!" Auggie replied excitedly making Josh chuckle.

"Ok, but you're gonna have to come down and help me cut it."

"Sure!" Auggie responded.

Josh put Auggie down as Topanga handed them both knives.

"Ava honey, why don't you come help Josh and Auggie cut the cake?" Topanga said.

"Yay!" Ava left Maya's side and ran over to stand next to Auggie.

"Here's your knife, Sweetie," Topanga handed her one of the plastic knives.

"You don't need a knife, Ava. You can just hold on to mine and we can cut the cake together," Auggie smiled fondly at her. Topanga shook her head, and sighed heavily.

"He gets this from you, you know that right?" She glared at her husband.

"Excuse me? I have  _nothing_ to do with this." Cory defended himself.

"I'm taking Topanga's side on this one Cor. Auggie's you one hundred percent." Shawn commented.

"I am  _hurt_ by your lack of support Shawnie. We will  _discuss_ this betrayal later," Cory hissed at Shawn.

"Gee, sorry Cor. I was just-"

"Alright Lovebirds! Let's focus on the birthday boy shall we?!" Maya yelled, making Josh grin in amusement.

"Ok, before you guys start cutting, lemme light the candle," Riley said excitedly as she used the lighter to set the candle wick aflame. "Now make a wish Uncle Josh!"

Josh thought of his wish as he made eye-contact with Maya who was standing directly across from him on the other side of the table. Maya raised an eyebrow at him and gave him a curious look. Josh simply smiled and looked over at Riley. "I'm done," he said. "You made your wish already?" Riley confirmed.

"Yep."

"Ok then. Blow the candle and start cutting!"

Josh grinned as he blew out the candle.

"Yayyy!" Ava and Auggie cheered excitedly as everyone else applauded.

"Alright kids, ya ready to cut?!" Josh called out.

"YEAH!"

"Ok, on the count of 3- 1, 2, 3!" They cut into the cake with their knives as everyone cheered.

"Awesome! Let's eat some cake!" Shawn yelled.

"Hold on! The birthday boy first, people!" Topanga called out as she tried to block the onslaught of adults who were eagerly approaching the cake.

"Let's give a slice to these guys first Topanga before they cause a riot," Josh pointed to Ava and Auggie whose mouths were literally drooling the more they stared at the cake.

Soon, each person was seated around the dining room table contentedly enjoying their cake slice.

"Mmmmm," Auggie muttered as he went back for a second serving.

"This is  _so_ good, Auggie. Get me another slice!" Ava demanded.

"You know,  _genius_ idea girls to plan for us to have dessert before dinner. This is just awesome," Cory said as he finished devouring his cake with a satisfied sigh.

"I concur. It's like saving the best for  _first!_ Good job girls!" Shawn commended them.

Riley and Maya smiled in response and gave each other a high five.

Josh grinned widely at them. "Thanks ladies. Awesome birthday so far," He told them.

"You welcome Tacos!" Maya responded.

"You welcome Uncle Josh," Riley replied with a smile.

"And Katy, I understand that you baked the cake?" Josh asked.

"Oh, yes," Katy replied. "Can't take all the credit though. I got some help from Maya. She's usually never into baking or cooking really, but this cake- she personally designed. She said you really like beanies so she drew up a cake that looked like this and I baked it."

Josh chuckled. "Well, she wasn't wrong. Guilty as charged." He pointed to his NYU beanie and beamed at Maya.

"Anyway, the cake is delicious. Thanks for baking it." Josh said to Katy.

" _Of course_ , Sweetie. It wasn't a problem at all. You are  _always_ welcome."

"Alright everybody! May I have your attention please?" Maya rose and addressed the group. "Now that we're all sugared up, it's time to burn some calories before dinner when we'll pile them back on again! Now, a little birdie told me that the birthday boy's wish was to dance right now in-front of  _errbody_ , so we're going to grant him his wish with a mini dance party!"

"What the…I wished for no such thing!" Josh immediately protested, his face already turning slightly pink from embarrassment. He wasn't the world's worst dancer but he was pretty sure there weren't many in the world who were worse than he was.

"Riles- any song that you think the birthday boy can boogie to?" Maya asked.

"Well, Peaches," Riley responded with a sly grin, "I  _have_  seen the birthday boy jamming to  _'Shut Up and Dance With Me,'_  on more than one occasion at past family celebrations. So I think that might be the song to get him off his feet."

" _Excellent_ suggestion, Ms. Matthews! Let's play it!"

"Woah! Hold on! I  _strongly_ object to this!" Josh cried out. "Cory? Some help here please?"

Cory shrugged. "I got no control in this house, buddy. Not sure why you haven't noticed that by now."

"Topanga? Help me?!" Josh pleaded making Topanga chuckle. "Sorry Sweetie, the girls are in charge tonight." She said. "But you'll be  _fine._ I actually really like that song."

"Yea me too," Shawn responded. "I've seen you dance Baby Matthews. You're not  _terrible_. Just shut up and dance... _not_ with me though."

"OHHHHH!  _Good one Shawnie!_ " Cory yelled out as he high-fived his friend.

"Why, thank you Cor," Shawn responded with a smirk.

Josh was now desperate. He only had one option left.

" _Ma-ya_?" He said her name softly. " _Pleaaase?_ Don't do this to me? It's my  _birth-day…"_ He gave her his best sad-eyed, pouting expression while biting his lower lip flirtatiously, hoping that she would give in.

Maya felt herself weakening as her heart raced the more he looked at her. But she really wanted to see him dance and at that moment, that desire overpowered all of her affections. So she resisted.

"Sorry Boing," She replied with a grin. "That's not gonna work this time. Hit it Riles!"

"Aw shucks!" Josh exclaimed.

Riley hit play on her phone and soon,  _"Shut Up and Dance With Me," by "Walk the Moon,"_ was blaring from her speakers-  _Oh don't you dare look back; Just keep your eyes on me;_ _I said you're holding back; She said shut up and dance with me; This woman is my destiny; She said oh oh oh; Shut up and dance with me…_

Auggie and Ava immediately got up and started jumping up and down to the beat as everyone laughed.

"Uncle Josh? Dance with me?" Riley asked as she extended her hand to him. Josh hung his head. "Do I have to?" He said, pouting. "Ye-es, if you love me," Riley grinned at him. "Ugh, that's  _so_ not fair. The love card? Really?" Riley giggled and grabbed his hand. "Come on, this is my favorite part!"

Josh allowed her to drag him from his chair, and they started dancing alongside Auggie and Ava.

" _YE-AH JOSH!_ That's ma brotha!"Cory cheered.

"Shut up and dance Cor!" Josh yelled back at him.

Topanga laughed and grabbed Cory's hand. "Let's go, old man." She dragged him onto the dance floor.

"Shawnie, save me!" Cory yelled.

"Too late, buddy! Katy? Wanna shut up and dance...with me?" Shawn chuckled at his own joke.

Katy just shook her head at him as she took his hand. "I never thought I would meet someone who was actually cornier than I was," She teased him.

"Heyyy, that's not a compliment," Shawn whined as he started dancing with his wife.

Maya stood off to the side as she recorded the entire scene on her phone.

"Hey kid!" Shawn called out to her. "Come dance with us!"

Maya shook her head, grinning, as she pointed her phone towards Riley and Josh.

Josh made eye-contact with her almost immediately and waved her over, but she shook her head again. Her happiness was complete as she recorded his slightly awkward but energetic and mostly, on-beat dance moves for future blackmail purposes. For now, standing on the side and observing yet another side of him she had never seen before would be enough for her. As the last verse of the song played, she noticed his eyes on her again.

_Don't you dare look back_

_Just keep your eyes on me_

_I said you're holding back_

_She said shut up and dance with me_

_This woman is my destiny_

_She said oh oh oh_

_Shut up and dance with me_


	12. Chapter 12

"So, Baby Matthews, how is 18 treating ya?" Shawn asked as he swallowed a large chunk of his  _Shepherd's Pie._

"Ya feeling like an adult yet?" Cory asked as he dug into his salad.

Josh chuckled and shook his head forcefully. "No- _pe_ ," He responded emphatically. "I still feel like an imposter sometimes at NYU- you know what I mean? Like, I don't belong there…"

"Well that's because you're smart Sweetie and you got there earlier than most of your classmates. But you  _definitely_  belong there. Don't let the fact that you're younger get to ya," Topanga piped in.

"Yeah, age ain't nothing but a number, Boing," Maya commented, grinning widely at him.

Josh chuckled amusedly, sensing that she was teasing him yet again for his "three years older" comments in the past.

"I'll keep that in mind, Maya," He responded with a wide smile as he scooped up a generous portion of his  _Shepherd's Pie_ with his fork and shoved it in his mouth.

"Uncle Josh, do you still have that roommate- Schnoopaloop?" Riley asked him curiously.

"SCHNOOPALOOP!" Auggie and Ava yelled out in unison making everyone burst out in laughter.

"AUGGIE, LET'S SEE WHO CAN SAY SCHNOOPALOOP TEN TIMES FASTER!" Ava yelled.

"Oooh, I'll play!" Cory stated excitedly. Topanga shot him a judging look but he shrugged it off with a goofy grin on his face.

"Ya got this Cor!" Shawn encouraged him. Katy simply shook her head in quiet amusement.

"OK," Ava yelled. "ON THE COUNT OF 3- 1, 2, 3!"

"SCHNOOPALOOP! SCHNOOPALOOP! SCHNOOPALOOP!" Auggie, Ava and Cory started chanting- each person trying to surpass the other by repeating the name faster.

" _SHOO-PA-POOP! SHOO-PA-POOOP_!" Cory chanted feverishly- his face reddened with intensity and spit jetting out of his mouth after a few seconds of heated competition with his son and his "daughter-in-law."

Everyone burst out laughing as they watched him. Auggie and Ava laughed the loudest of all, having abandoned their chanting the moment they heard "Schoo-pa-poop."

"OK, ENOUGH! YOU  _LOST_  YA GOOFBALL!" Topanga yelled as she stretched out a hand and covered her husband's mouth so that he was finally forced to stop.

Josh snickered as he stared affectionately at the pair.

" _How_ did I lose?! I made ya'll laugh!" Cory protested.

"That's cos you started saying the name wrong, Daddy! You are supposed to say it fast but you _have_  to say the name correctly. Right Ava?" Auggie said.

"Yeah, you LOST Cory! Auggie and I WIN!" Ava yelled out.

"That's right, Sweetie." Auggie stated as they high-fived each other enthusiastically and then gave each other a victory hug.

Riley and Maya giggled as they gazed amusedly at the pair.

"You two are like relationship goals, I swear," Maya told them. "We should be taking notes, Riles," She grinned at her best friend.

"Aw, better luck next time Cor! Ya gotta follow the rules,  _ma brotha_ ," Josh teased him.

"It's  _not_ fair,  _ma brotha_!" Cory whined. "I demand a rematch, kids!"

Topanga covered her face with her palm for a few seconds before yelling out, "NO. No rematch!" Cory puckered his lips as if he was about to cry, as everyone around them chuckled.

Topanga turned her attention back to Josh. "Like I was saying, Honey, don't let your age get to ya. As you can see, you're clearly the adult among your brothers  _despite_  the fact that you're the youngest. Go figure!" She grinned at him.

"Ooooh, she just burned ya Cor! You gonna let her get away with that?" Shawn retorted.

"Will you shut up?" Katy told her husband in a playful but forceful tone with an amused grin on her face.

Shawn raised an eyebrow at her. "I'm supporting my bestie," He stated matter-of-factly.

"Not anymore. You're done. Finish your meal," Katy responded as she pointed at his half-full plate. Topanga giggled amusedly at Katy's commanding tone.

"Ok," Shawn shrugged and continued eating his meal. Maya grinned, her eyes brimming with affection as she observed her parents' interaction. Josh couldn't help but smile when he noticed the light and hope in her eyes as she quietly watched her parents.

Cory gave Shawn a disapproving look - aghast that his best friend had abandoned him so easily- but Shawn simply shrugged when he noticed Cory's dour facial expression almost as if to say, "Sorry Bro, ain't nu'in I can do," before refocusing on his meal.

"Anyway, to answer your question Riles," Josh stated in an attempt to get the conversation back on track, "no, Schnoopaloop is no longer around. He ended up leaving NYU shortly after I told you guys about him. I think he just felt that it wasn't a good fit for him so he transferred to another school."

"Oh wow," Riley responded. "You're not gonna do that right, Uncle Josh? We really like having you here in New York."

"No worries, Riles. I'm not transferring," He replied. "I actually really like NYU. I just need to adjust some more, that's all. I think by next semester, I'll feel more adjusted."

"Good. Because you're  _not_ going anywhere. That's not an option," Maya stated in an imperative tone.

Josh grinned and nodded his head meekly. "Yes, Ma'am," He responded softly and flashed her a warm smile.

Shawn observed this brief interaction of theirs keenly. Cory's vague warning earlier had officially aroused his suspicions. For the time being however, he decided to keep his thoughts to himself.

"So, kid, have you decided what you wanna major in?" He asked.

"Um yeah," Josh replied after finishing off the last morsel of his meal. "For now, I'm thinking probably Photography and Pre-Med."

"Oh wow. Interesting combo. A Photographer  _and_ a Doctor! Well I know what to get for your birthday now!" Shawn replied excitedly. "I should've known Cor. He always liked taking pictures." Cory nodded in agreement with a proud smile on his face.

"And the Doctor makes sense obviously because of your smarts," Shawn continued. "You know kid, Cor and I didn't quite inherit that either- the super smart genes. You really _did_ get all the goodies in the fam. Cor, I guess your folks saved the best for last," He chuckled amusedly.

"I  _object_ to that assertion Shawn!" Cory argued. "Technically, apart from Eric, we were pretty smart too. We just didn't apply ourselves very much to our studies and... _oh crap_ , I probably shouldn't have said that in-front of all these kiddies who I'm now responsible for…" He gaped in alarm at Riley and Maya who were now watching him with suspicion.

"Busted, Matthews! You were LAZY in school!" Maya hissed as she narrowed her eyes at him.

"Busted, Dad!" Riley echoed her friend's actions.

Josh burst out laughing at the scene.

" _Yikes!"_ Cory muttered with a terrified look on his face. "TOPANGA! I might have lost all my credibility as a teacher and a shaper of young minds! Fix this calamity Sweetheart!"

Topanga chuckled as she shook her head in amusement at her husband's silly antics.

"You know kid," Shawn addressed Josh, "you should come over sometime. Now that I know you're serious about Photography, I can definitely give you some pointers."

"Fair warning Boing, he's gonna make you sit through all his travel photos," Maya stated.

"Hey! You said you liked those photos! Ignore her. She loves all my photos. She's just feeling too cool to admit that now," Shawn said.

"Ehh, they're  _aight_ ," Maya shrugged.

Josh chuckled. "I've seen some of your photos Shawn- on your travel blog," He told him. "They're really great! Makes you feel like you're there but also really want to be there at the same time."

"I know  _right_? That's the essence I try to capture with every photo when I travel. Wow, I appreciate you saying that Baby Matthews!" Shawn retorted.

"Yeah of-course," Josh responded. "And I've actually been wanting to come by and talk to you at some point about your job and everything. So thanks a lot for the invite," He said.

" _Suck-up_ ," Maya muttered under her breath so low that only Riley could hear. Riley giggled softly when she heard her. "Well considering the next topic of discussion, he's making a smart move in sucking up to Shawn now," She whispered in Maya's ear.

Maya just hung her head and sighed heavily. "Kill me now Riles," She pleaded with her.

Riley grinned at her amusedly. "It'll be Ok Peaches," She attempted to comfort her. "I really do think he's doing the right thing. Remember when Lucas asked Dad for permission to date me? That's  _kinda_ what Josh is planning to do. It's a bit romantic actually."

Maya raised an eyebrow at her. "Everything's romantic to you Riles," She said. "He just doesn't want us to hide things- that's why he's in such a rush to tell them what's going on. But the thing is, I kinda like hiding stuff, a little bit. You know, that feeling of like you've got this secret and you're walking on the edge cos you don't know if anyone's ever gonna find out. It's fun. And now he's gonna ruin it all cos ya'll Matthews are just goody-two-shoes."

Riley grinned. "True. I know you like the  _adventure_ and the  _thrill,_ " She said, immediately recalling Maya's account in the ski lodge of what her ideal relationship would look like.

"Exactly!" Maya agreed.

"But see, the thing with walking on the edge Peaches is that there's a higher risk of falling and hurting yourself. Maybe Josh cares about you so much that he doesn't want you to fall or get hurt and this is his way of trying to protect you?" She suggested.

Maya thought for a moment about Riley's comment. "Ha, I've never thought about it that way before," She admitted.

Riley nodded. "Uncle Josh is very protective. I know that's what he's trying to do. And I think that's a good thing since he's technically your potential boyfriend."

Maya sighed. "Who knows if that'll ever happen," She muttered.

"Ya gotta have faith Maya. You still doubting? After everything that happened on your romantic Valentine's date? I mean you got more kisses than I did. Just saying." Riley smiled widely at her.

Maya grinned amusedly. "I know. Still can't believe that," She responded. "I gotta talk to that boy. I mean he had you alone for like three hours. Like, what the hell?"

Riley giggled softly. "It's Ok Peaches. Let it go. We're taking it slow that's all."

"Nah. He's just a big, tall, piece o' Texas fried _chicken_. I'll knock some sense into him," Maya muttered with a mischievous grin and a determined look on her face.

Riley covered her mouth in an effort to stifle her laughter so that she wouldn't draw attention to herself. "Leave him alone Maya, please," She urged her friend. "Poor guy is shy enough. And so am I. So let's not bring this up."

"Shyness...another regrettable Matthews trait," Maya muttered, shaking her head slowly, as she stared at Josh.

"Not all of us. Remember Uncle Eric?" Riley said.

"Crazy guy that called me Moesha? How could I forget?" Maya grinned. "Maybe I shoulda been a Moesha…" She mused. Riley burst out laughing.

"Girls?" Topanga called out. "Ya done having your private dinner meeting now?" She grinned at them.

They both nodded their heads meekly with wide grins on their faces as all eyes came to rest on them.

"Ok great. I think we're all done with dinner now. What's next on the agenda?" Topanga asked.

Maya immediately made eye contact with Josh and questioned him nonverbally by raising her eyebrows at him and shifting her eyes towards Cory and Shawn. Josh, sensing exactly what she was asking, gave her a slight nod. Maya nodded in return and stood up from her chair.

"Ok, folks! Fun is over!" She announced. "What's next on the agenda is cleanup but here's how it's gonna go. We, the kids, are gonna clean up. And yes, even though you're married now Auggie and Ava, you're  _still_ kids so ya gotta clean up too."

"BOOOOO!" Auggie and Ava intoned.

" _But-_  after cleanup, we will play  _whatever_  game that you guys wanna play. Just- no running around so we don't disturb the grown-ups, Ok?"

"YAYYYYY!" Auggie and Ava exclaimed happily.

"Wait a minute- so what are the grown-ups doing?" Shawn asked with a puzzled expression.

"You losers are having a fun, private chat with Uncle Tacos. Enjoy!" Maya responded. "And oh, anything goes wrong, just remember, I dunno know him!" She pointed to Josh and grinned slyly. "Ok then, let's go cleanup crew!"

Josh and the adults watched in amusement as the "cleanup crew" started gathering their plates and utensils from the table. Maya went to grab Josh's plate, and when he turned to thank her, she quickly shoved a small, folded piece of paper into his hand before walking off. Curious, Josh immediately opened the note and read it:

_Good luck Boing ;) Really hoping you survive this moment and make it to your 19th bday. If not, it was really great knowing you._

_Sincerely,_

_Your super skeptical (but slightly hopeful) long game partner ( & future funeral planner) - Maya_

_P.s. I hope you wrote your will before this convo. I call dibs on half of all your money & property. Cha-ching! :D_

Josh smiled widely as he felt his nerves beginning to settle after reading the humorous note. Just a few minutes before, he had been bombarded with a slight sense of dread, doubt, nerves and panic once Maya made the announcement. Until then, he had been feeling generally confident about the impending conversation he was about to have with the adults. But once the reality set in, he felt that confidence fading. Her note reassured him and boosted his confidence again. She wasn't begging him not to proceed like she had before. In her own unique, witty and lighthearted way, she was now offering him her support. And that was just the fuel that he needed to persevere.

"Ok, Baby Matthews, what the  _heck_  is going on? And I'm getting a response this time," Shawn asked bluntly once the "cleanup crew" exited the room.

"Shawn, slow down on this one," Cory said with a hint of trepidation in his voice.

"No, Cor. You don't speak for him. He can speak for himself. He is a man now. Right, Baby Matthews? You don't need your older brotha speaking for you," Shawn retorted.

"Nope," Josh answered confidently. "And this might be off-topic, Shawn, but I just wanted to point out that the nickname 'Baby Matthews' doesn't  _really_ make me feel like a man.  _Not_ that I'm telling you to stop or anything, but just wanted to throw that out there," He grinned at him.

Shawn burst out laughing, while Katy, Topanga and Cory chuckled in amusement.

"You got a sense of humor Baby Matthews. I almost forgot that. But you know I'm never gonna stop calling you that right?" Shawn replied with a mischievous grin.

"Yep, I figured," Josh responded with a sigh.

"Good. You probably hear this story all the time, but seeing you in that incubator, when you were born, with the label 'Baby Matthews' cos your parents didn't know if you were gonna make it so they didn't want to name you just yet... that stuck with me. I call you that nickname not because I'm trying to embarrass you or belittle you...it comes from a place of affection. You get what I'm saying? After all, when it's all said and done, I hope I still count as your  _only_  fake uncle...or older bro. Unless you've found someone else who you  _think_ is cooler- not possible by the way- to replace me. And if so, I'm gonna be  _really_ offended," He grinned at Josh.

Josh shook his head as he smiled warmly at him. "Nope. I still remember our baseball practices...and you taking me to  _Chubbie's_. Could never find anyone to replace that."

Shawn smiled widely at him. "Good," He nodded his head. "That makes me happy. But bonding time's over now. So spill it. Maya said you had something to say? What is it?"

_It's now or never,_ Josh thought to himself as he took a deep breath and spoke. "I- uh - I like Maya," He stated bluntly with his eyes fixed on Shawn while trying to ignore his nerves. "And what I mean by that is, I've developed feelings for her which are not platonic…" He scratched the back of the beanie on his head nervously as he continued. "Now, just to make this clear, I haven't always felt this way-"

"You mean, you  _didn't_  have non-platonic feelings for my daughter when she was born and you were three?! No  _freaking_ way!" Shawn grinned widely at him as Cory, Topanga and Katy chuckled softly. Josh smiled as he bit his lip nervously and lowered his head briefly before making eye-contact with Shawn again.

"No, it certainly doesn't go that far back," He said.

"Theirs do! I'm pretty sure Cory fell in love with Topanga when they were both in diapers," Shawn pointed at Cory and Topanga.

"Hey!" Topanga protested but Cory nodded his head vigorously as he gazed fondly at his wife. "Let him speak Topanga. Shawnie knows  _everything_  that's in my heart."

Topanga rolled her eyes as she made eye-contact with Katy. " _All_ my life," She mumbled to her through gritted teeth. Katy giggled.

"Trust me, you'll get used to it...eventually," Topanga smiled ruefully at her.

Katy nodded solemnly. "I feel like we should start a club or something," She suggested to Topanga.

"Oh my God, we  _definitely_ should! We can't be the only women whose husbands are in love!" Topanga agreed.

"Heyy!" Shawn and Cory yelled out simultaneously.

"My feelings for Cor are  _totally_ platonic Ok?!" Shawn protested. "I aint no Baby Matthews with his non platonic emotions for your daughter!" He told Katy. "That's what you gotta worry about!"

"That's right!" Cory agreed. "You got bigger fish to fry Katy!"

"Cor, I thought you were on my side," Josh said as he stared at his brother incredulously.

"Oh, sorry ma brotha," Cory mumbled. "But um, I'm always on Shawn's side- that's just how it is. Now if I think he's being too hard on you, don't  _worry_ , I'll speak up and tell him to go easier on ya. What are brothers for? Eh?  _Ma Brotha!"_ He yelled out their usual greeting.

Josh simply raised his eyebrows at him in shock, and didn't respond. He had known CorShawn were super close- "best bromance eva!" as Cory always described his friendship with Shawn- but what he was currently witnessing was on a whole other level. He felt slightly betrayed.

"Josh, honey, you wanna join the club? It's primarily for jilted wives but we'll take jilted brothers as well," Topanga told him with a teasing grin on her face. Josh burst out laughing and shook his head.

"Nah. I think I'll go to therapy for this one, Topanga. A club meeting won't be enough to heal my wounds of abandonment," He shook his head sadly at Cory. Topanga and Katy chuckled.

"I'm sorry ma brotha! I still love you though," Cory tried to placate him.

"Excuse me Cor but I DO NOT love him!" Shawn exclaimed. "Nuh-uh! Not anymore! Not when you tell me you've developed non platonic feelings for my daughter who's in high school! No love for you Baby Matthews! YE-AAH, that's right Matthews! Fun time is OVA! We aint joking nomore!"

There was an awkward pause after Shawn's outburst before Cory, Topanga and Katy broke out in loud laughter.

Josh just sat there, amused, but also completely baffled by the scene before him. He hadn't been sure exactly what to expect when he broke the news to them about him and Maya, but these odd reactions certainly weren't what he had in mind. In a way, all the laughter and joking made him even more nervous because it was hard for him to predict when the conversation would actually turn serious and exactly what that would look like. He was beginning to wonder if he had made a mistake in approaching them in the first place. Somewhere in his brain, he could hear Maya yelling, "I told you so,  _Sucker_!" and laughing hysterically at him.

"What? What's so funny?" Shawn asked the group as their laughter finally subsided.

"Shawn, it's not working," Cory shook his head.

"What's not working?"

"You- trying to be threatening...it's like you're trying too hard. It just comes out  _really_  funny," Cory took a moment to chuckle again as Topanga and Katy giggled.

"I can't  _believe_  this, Cor. I mean, I've  _always_ had the rough-round-the-edges, threatening factor. What happened to me?" Shawn whined.

"It's Ok, Honey, really," Katy reached around him with her hand and patted him gently on his back. Shawn gave her a warm smile.

"I dunno Shawn. You fell in love? Got domesticated? You're  _happy_ now? I mean, it happens. If it makes you feel any better, I  _suck_ at this too. Topanga is the  _real_ threat. I'm just the clown." Topanga giggled as she pinched her husband's cheeks softly. "That's right Papa Clown," She muttered playfully as Cory grinned widely at her.

Josh raised his eyebrows at them and shook his head in amusement...and slight judgment.

"Actually, Baby Matthews, I know why I'm not coming off as genuinely threatening," Shawn turned his attention back to him. "Because to be honest, it's hard for me to take anything that you've just said seriously. Now, you're no Cory. I think God established that when he radically changed things up for you in terms of looks  _and_ personality-"

"Hey! What're you trying to say Shawnie?"

"Not  _now_ Cor!" Shawn held up a hand to silence him. "I'm actually trying to be serious here. Be quiet and silently support me please until I need you to talk?"

"Ok, Shawn." Cory mumbled as he placed a finger to his lips.

"Now, where was I Baby Matthews? Oh right," Shawn continued. "Your brother told Topanga he loved her when they were  _fourteen_. But that's Cory- so it makes sense. What  _you're_  telling me - about these feelings you have- I'm not really buying it."

"I didn't tell you that I'm in love with her Shawn- just that I like her," Josh immediately clarified.

"I know," Shawn nodded. "But I'm still not buying it. How do I know this isn't just a crush, Josh? I've been a teenage boy before. You've got a lotta hormones flying around, she's a  _very_ attractive girl with a great personality, and you kinda see her around a lot. Perhaps over time, you developed a crush which you've convinced yourself is more serious than it actually is? It happens. I mean you've just started college, kid. You're gonna be meeting a lot of attractive girls with great personalities and you'll probably develop crushes on them. What makes you so sure that this thing you've got for Maya  _now-_ which you  _think_  is serious- isn't the same thing-and as a father, this is my biggest concern- that you're not gonna break her heart once things fizzle out and you find a new crush at NYU?"

Josh thought for a moment before responding. "That's a great question Shawn- and it's something that I've actually thought about- a lot. I've had crushes before obviously. And I'll probably continue to have them-"

Shawn laughed. "You're not a robot, kid. You most definitely will, trust me," He told him.

"Initially, I thought what I was feeling  _was_ a crush," Josh continued. "Just like I initially dismissed  _her_  feelings as a crush too. So I didn't really  _want_ to take any of it seriously...and then, on top of that, the age difference made things kinda awkward."

"Ha- not just awkward Baby Matthews. I mean, you got a freaking soap opera on your hands!" Shawn exclaimed. "Let's see-  _apart_  from the age difference which is just one part of this whole scandal, she's your niece's best friend, which means that if you guys get together one day- she becomes what- Riley's 'aunt' cos they're practically sisters,  _you_ become my son-in-law, and Cor, Josh technically becomes your brother-in-law! I mean this is a freaking soap opera!  _Bold and Beautiful!_ I'm gonna guess you're the 'Bold' and Maya is the 'Beautiful'?" He burst out laughing at his joke with Cory joining him.

"Cor, wadja think? Back me up."

"It  _is_  a little messy. You're right buddy," Cory nodded in agreement.

Topanga and Katy remained quiet and simply glared at their husbands disapprovingly for the difficult treatment they were giving Josh.

Josh was practically pink in the face from embarrassment as he buried his face in his hands and prayed to be anywhere else but where he currently was. Death was actually beginning to seem like a sweet escape in that moment. He thought back to Maya's note and smiled ruefully. It was looking like she would get the chance to plan his funeral after all and inherit half of all his assets.

"What do you think of all this Jerry Springer drama, Baby Matthews? Ya got something more to say?" Shawn asked him teasingly.

" _Shawn,_ you're being too hard on him," Katy told him.

"No worries, Sweetheart. He can take it." Shawn responded. "Right Baby Matthews? You should be able to take this. This is nothing, really."

"I haven't really thought much about the various family relations should Maya and I get together...someday," Josh answered as he sat up straight in his chair and faced Shawn again. "Things are very much in the beginning stages between us...so I haven't really thought that far."

" _Bullshit_ , of course you have," Shawn retorted. "It's probably the first thing that occurred to you. Along with the age difference. Which is why, initially, like you said, you didn't want to take any of it seriously. But along the way, something clearly changed for you Baby Matthews. And I'm giving you the chance now to convince me to jump aboard your feelings train. Look, I'm gonna give you some credit here. Like, I said, I've been a teenage boy before. I would never have approached a girl's parents in a million years unless I  _really_ cared about her. So maybe what you're feeling for Maya  _isn't_ just an infatuation. But if you're seeking my permission here Josh- which I assume is the reason why you're informing me of this- then I'm gonna need you to convince me of the sincerity of your feelings. As much as I really like you kid, I'm not buying anything you've said just yet." Shawn crossed his arms, leaned back in his chair and waited for him to respond.

There was a poignant silence as they all waited for Josh to speak. Josh sat back in his chair, shut his eyes for a couple seconds, and then reopened them before speaking. "You got one thing right Shawn. The reason why I approached you today, despite numerous warnings not to do so-"

"Who warned ya? Your friends?" Shawn asked curiously.

"No. Maya actually," Josh replied.

"Ha, she's a smart kid. You shoulda listened," Shawn said, grinning.

"Don't I know it," Josh retorted as he smiled ruefully.

Shawn chuckled. "Anyway, sorry for interrupting. Please continue."

Josh nodded. "Thanks. I approached you today because I actually really care about Maya. I care about her well-being- what makes her happy, sad, angry, hopeful...I care about her studies- how she's doing in school and how I can help so that one day she'll be able to achieve her dreams. I'm  _curious_ about her. I want to know everything about her…and before you say, well this doesn't really prove anything except that you're just a nice guy Josh who cares about your niece's best friend… I spent two years, Shawn, trying to prevent the possibility of  _any_ romantic involvement with Maya. And that wasn't because I wasn't attracted to her or didn't feel something for her during that time. I did! But I tried my hardest to ignore all of it. Why? Because, you're right, I thought about the age difference and the icky family connections involved. And I just didn't want  _anything_  to do with all that. But...there's something  _about_  Maya- it's hard to explain. You can't just ignore her...or push her away. I think it's a combination of her beauty -inside and out- but also her sincerity, selflessness, humor and her great love and concern for others…I mean, like how she treated Ava earlier, when Ava was feeling bad because I couldn't pick her up too. That was absolutely incredible, wasn't it? She didn't  _have_  to reach out to Ava in that moment. But she did anyway. And she wasn't doing it to impress anybody. It's just who she is. It's like in her vulnerability she's learned to reach out to those who are most vulnerable. And that's just one aspect of her personality… Anyway, I think I'm rambling now. Sorry," He took a deep breath before attempting to finish his train of thought. "I guess what I'm trying to say is, you're right Shawn. My feelings for her probably started out as a crush. Just like her feelings for me probably. But over time, as we got to know each other a little better, I think they developed and became more substantial and genuine. I'm not asking you for permission to date her. There's still the age difference and we're at different stages in our lives now. And who knows? Maybe things might change between us. But I care about her enough romantically to ask you for permission to get to know her as a friend...and as more than a friend, because I'd be lying to you if I told you that she and I are just friends. We're clearly not. But until the time is right for us to actually pursue a romantic relationship, I'm asking you for permission to be in her life, to hang out with her and to get to know her more."

"I'm confused," Shawn responded, "you're not ready to date her now- which I support one hundred percent by the way- but you're asking for permission to casually, sorta be more than friends with her and have your way with her while you're waiting for D-day?"

"It's not what you're thinking," Josh retorted.

"Then clarify your intentions for me,  _college_ boy. Because as far as I see things, she's an innocent, naive Freshman in high school. She probably thinks she's in love, Josh. Her heart can easily get broken here if  _anything_ goes wrong," Shawn said.

"No need to answer that Boing, I'll take it from here," Maya said as she slowly descended the stairs from the direction of Riley's room and came to sit by Josh's side with a wide, playful grin on her face.

Cory gasped dramatically as he gaped at her. He wasn't the only one who looked surprised at her sudden appearance. Josh's face had turned completely pale as he stared at her in utter shock. He looked as if he was seeing a ghost. Of all the things he had  _not_ been expecting that night, Maya suddenly appearing in the middle of his CorShawn conversation was definitely on top of the list- especially after she had sworn to him earlier that she wanted nothing to do with it.

"Hi! How ya doin'?" Maya asked him brightly as she smiled teasingly. "You know, you should be thanking God that I'm here. You were bombing so bad- ya lucky I decided to come rescue you," She grinned at him.

Josh simply shook his head at her in disbelief as he averted his gaze from her and leaned back on his chair. "Exactly how much did you hear?" He asked her as he kept his gaze fixed downwards on the dining table.

" _Oh,_ that's what you're worried about?  _Ye-ah,_ I heard  _everything_ that came outta  _yo'_  mouth about me, Boing. As a matter of fact, I might've recorded it," Maya winked at him.

" _Crap,_ " Josh muttered as he leaned his head back on top of the chair and groaned loudly. "This night just keeps getting better," He muttered sarcastically. "I QUIT!" He yelled.

They all burst out laughing at his mini tantrum.

"Ma Brotha, it's gonna be Ok," Cory attempted to console him.

" _NO_.  _NO. You_  don't get to 'ma brotha' me anymore,  _traitor_!" Josh shot back at Cory making everyone laugh even harder including Josh and Cory who couldn't help but join in the laughter. "Ya ditched me! At my  _birthday_  dinner!  _Unbelievable_  Cor! Blood is  _supposed_ to be thicker than water!" Josh shot back at Cory again. This led to even more laughter as the two brothers stared at each other affectionately and with immense amusement.

"I'm _sorry_  Josh. But,  _it's Shawn._ I can't help it," Cory explained. Josh just shook his head at him amusedly.

"No worries Cor, he'll get used to it," Shawn replied, chuckling. Topanga and Katy simply shook their heads and sighed.

"Baby Girl, you had something you wanted to say?" Katy asked Maya as she smiled sweetly at her daughter.

"Yep!" Maya responded enthusiastically. She boldly grabbed Josh's hand and intertwined her fingers with his for everyone to see. Josh felt his heart skip a beat as he gazed at her in awe.

"Dad," She addressed Shawn, "I don't  _think_ I'm in love with Josh- I  _know_ I am. And here's why. He respects me and he cares about me. From the very beginning, he respected me enough to be honest with me about how he felt, and where he stood. There was never any deception on his part. If anything, I was the one who kept bugging him and wouldn't take a hint," She smiled fondly at Josh before continuing. "But he was always respectful and never made me feel like crap for the way I felt. It took him a while for him to admit that he also felt the same way. And not only  _did_ he do that, he also cared enough about me and Riley to help us get out of that stupid triangle that almost ruined our friendship. Even though I'm not too crazy about it sometimes I really appreciate that he wants to wait to date me. He wants to make sure that I have my own life and space and that's just another example of how much he cares about me and respects me. I really like him Dad,  _and_ I'm willing to wait for him, until he's ready," She beamed at Josh. "So, don't be too hard on him anymore. He's not using me, and he doesn't have any bad intentions."

"Ok, I hear you kid," Shawn nodded gently. "I'm not suggesting that he has any bad intentions or is using you. He's Cory Matthews' brother after all. It's practically in his DNA never to do that to a girl- so I hear ya. Believe it or not, I really like him too. But I'm conflicted, as you can imagine. As your Dad, I'm forced to put on my skeptic and grilling hat whenever any guy comes to me with romantic intentions towards you. And the fact that this one over here is practically my family puts me in an even more difficult position. But just know that at the end of the day, the only thing I, and your mother, want is your happiness, kid. Your happiness, and I guess,  _his_  happiness also since we actually have to care about him.  _Darn you Baby Matthews! Why did it have to be you?_ " He frowned at Josh.

"Uhh, sor-ry? I didn't really plan this," Josh muttered nervously and grinned innocently at him.

Shawn simply shook his head and sighed. "So, lemme finally get this straight." He stated. "You both have feelings for each other. You're waiting to make things official and date someday, I'm guessing in the near future when my daughter is 18 or older?" Josh and Maya both nodded their heads. "In the meantime, exactly  _what_  will you be doing? That is where I'm still confused."

"Uh, we will be...friends," Josh stated as he looked over at Maya and gave her an uncertain look.

" _Just_ friends? Cos that's not what you were saying before Josh," Shawn retorted.

"We can't be  _just_ friends, Dad," Maya stated candidly. "Josh and I talked about this. I mean we are going to try to make our interactions as platonic as possible so that the  _focus_ is on friendship- but there's gonna be the occasional hand-holding- like now- or the hug that lasts a little longer than it should, or the flirting...yeah, stuff like that. So I hope that's going to be Ok with you."

"Hand-holding, hugging, flirting- that's  _all_ you guys are gonna be doing? Anything else you failed to mention?" Shawn inquired in a suspicious tone.

"Anything else like...what?" Maya asked as she raised an eyebrow at him.

"I think what Shawnie is trying to say is, have you guys been doing the  _KISSY-KISSY_?" Cory blurted out in a high-pitched tone.

" _Shut up,_ Cory!" Topanga scolded him as everyone burst out laughing.

"Sorry!" Cory muttered and laid a finger on his lips again to indicate that he was going to stay quiet.

"No comment," Maya answered and squeezed Josh's hand tightly as a warning that he stay quiet or else. Josh got the message and didn't utter a word.

Shawn smiled in amusement. "I'll take that as a yes then. You've been doing the kissy-kissy," He said. "Ok, here's what  _I_  have to say now. If you both want my permission to be 'friends,' then here are my conditions. And when I'm done, Sweetheart, maybe you can add yours as well?" He asked Katy. Katy nodded in affirmation.

"Ok, cool." Shawn continued. "Here's condition number ONE- absolutely  _no_ making out under any circumstances. Baby Matthews- you know what that is and you will  _not_ be doing it with my daughter,  _ever._ Once she's 18 and older, she can decide for herself then. You keep your kisses to a minimum, simple and  _PG-rated._ Technically, if I had it my way, you guys will  _not_ be kissing  _ever-_  but I'd be a hypocrite if I said that so this is as strict as I can get without my conscience hounding me," He grinned. "Number TWO- and this one goes without saying- no sexual intercourse or activity,  _ever._ Friends don't do that! Baby Matthews- I don't care who you are or the fact that I was present when you were born- if you  _ever_ try anything like that with Maya, I'll personally hunt you down and kill you. It's as simple as that."

Josh gulped and nodded his head vigorously. Maya covered her face with her palm in embarrassment and groaned loudly.

"Number THREE," Shawn continued. "You guys ever hang out, you make sure you bring her back at an  _appropriate_ time. Otherwise, there will be no more hanging out. Number FOUR- If she ever changes her mind and want to end things, you don't make a big deal about it Baby Matthews, because she has a right to do that. She's young. If _you_  ever change your mind and find a college gal and want to end things, then  _you_  have to call a family meeting and look me and everyone else straight in the eye and explain to us why you're breaking her heart. Why the double standard you might ask? Because you're the  _adult_ in this situation. And one of the fun things about being an adult is that you take responsibility for  _all_ your actions- the good, the bad,  _and_  the stupid. So, just as you had the courage to tell us how you feel about her now at your freaking  _birthday_ dinner, I'll trust that you have the  _same_  courage to inform us when you're ready to break her heart...or when you've already done so because you did something stupid. Do I make myself clear, Matthews?"

Josh nodded again. "Yep," He muttered. "Good," Shawn responded. "Now I'm gonna set aside my 'Dad' hat and put on my fake 'Uncle' hat in order to tell you this: I wish you guys the best. I truly do. I'm not gonna lie, Baby Matthews. As much as this is a headache for me right now, I'd still much rather prefer you as her first love interest than some random kid that we barely even know. And I'm sure Katy agrees with me on that," He turned to his wife.

Katy beamed at Maya and Josh. "I do. Baby Girl, Josh- you guys already know how I feel, so I'm not gonna say much. The only advice- or condition- that I have for you is that you two be honest with each other- always. I can't possibly stress how important that is in  _any_ relationship. Honesty goes a  _long_ way and it can solve a lot of problems and misunderstandings- especially at your age. So never hide anything from each other, and don't keep secrets. You got it?"

"Yes, Katy," Josh replied. "Yes, Mom," Maya nodded.

"Good," Katy said. "Josh- what you said about Maya- it was absolutely beautiful. It um, it filled my heart with joy to really hear how much you care about my baby girl. She trusts you- with all her heart, and because of that,  _I_ trust you. My hope is that you will never betray her trust in you. She's all I had for a  _very_ long time." At this point, Katy took a moment to wipe off a few stray tears before continuing. "So please, don't betray her trust, and don't betray mine. That's not to say you're never going to make any mistakes. We don't expect you to be perfect. But we- Shawn and I- expect you to be honest and respectful and caring towards her, always. If you can do that, you will always have  _our_  trust and respect. Does that make sense, Sweetie?"

"Yeah, thanks Katy," Josh responded as he smiled warmly at her.

" _Great_ , that's all I had to say then. Topanga?" Katy turned to her friend and smiled at her. "You have anything to add? Please feel free."

"Sure! Thanks Katy," Topanga replied as she turned her attention to the pair. "I think you guys are just adorable!" She beamed at them.

"BOOOO!" Shawn intoned, as Cory chuckled.

Topanga ignored them and continued, "I know it probably wasn't easy- especially for you, Josh- coming before us, like this. So I just wanted you guys to know that no matter what happens, we will  _always_ be here to support you. You should never feel like you're all alone because that's  _never_  the case. If there's anything you need, or just want to talk about, feel free to find any of us. Ok, that's all I got! Now moving on to  _this_ moron," She grinned at her husband.

"Ooh, I get to talk now?" Cory asked excitedly. "Keep it short and sweet. And  _do not_ say anything  _inappropriate,_ " Topanga warned him.

"Topanga- I'm her teacher and a shaper of her young mind!" He pointed to Maya. "How could I  _ever_ say anything inappropriate?" Both Topanga and Maya raised an eyebrow at him and gave him a skeptical look.

"Ok! Don't answer that!" Cory replied and turned his attention to Josh. " _MA BROTHA!_ "

Josh raised an eyebrow at him and didn't respond to his greeting. The group chuckled at his reaction.

"Oh  _come on_!" Cory yelled. "You still mad at me? I thought we made up! I'm sorry!"

Josh grinned and shook his head amusedly. " _MA BROTHA!"_ He finally yelled back.

"Yayyy!" Cory celebrated as he reached over and patted Josh's back firmly. "Glad we got past that," He grinned at him. "Anyway, I agree with pretty much what everyone has said so far. I'm proud of you Josh. I want you to always know that. I'm proud of who you are and of the man that you're becoming. As you know, Maya is  _clearly_ the favorite here," He smiled fondly at Maya, "but you're my lil bro, so I'll always be looking out for you. If you ever want to talk about  _anything_ or need help in any way, do  _not_  hesitate to reach out to me, or to anyone here. After all, that's what family is for. Ya got it?"

Josh nodded and smiled fondly at him. "Thanks Cor," he said.

"And Maya," Cory addressed her. "You know that my door is always open. Feel free to walk in at any time if you need anything. Ok?"

"I'm never gonna talk to you about my relationship, Matthews. That's just not happening. And I'm never gonna tell you about your daughter's either so ya need to stop asking me about it," Maya stated bluntly with a wide, teasing grin.

The group burst out laughing at her comment.

"Ok fine!" Cory responded in a defensive tone. "We can stick to your  _academics_ then."

Maya grinned amusedly and gave him a thumbs up.

"Alrighty! Looks like we've wrapped up  _this_ part of the agenda. Thank God!" Shawn said as he sighed in relief. "Baby Matthews, remind me never to attend your future birthday parties. If this is the 18th, God knows what tricks you're gonna pull for your 21st."

Josh burst out laughing.

"And my offer for you to come over still stands, by the way," Shawn told him. "I may not be as fond of you now as I was  _before_ your announcement, but I can never say no to a Matthews who is serious about Photography, so yeah."

Josh grinned from ear to ear. "Thanks Shawn. Will definitely take you up on that offer."

"Good." Shawn responded. "Okie dok. What time is it anyway?  _Goodness-_  I'm getting old," He said as he started yawning.

"It's almost 10 o'clock buddy," Cory replied.

"Yeah, I'm ready to hit the sack." Shawn said as he stood up and stretched. "You?" He asked Katy. "Yeah, same here," Katy responded.

"Ya ready, kid?" Shawn asked Maya. "We're gonna head out."

"Uh, I need to say goodbye to Riley and that might take a while…can Josh walk me home after I'm done? That way you guys don't have to wait for me," She asked him.

Shawn chuckled in amusement and glanced over at Cory. "Wadja think Cor? Should I let your  _brotha_ walk my daughter home unsupervised at this  _ungodly_ hour of the night?"

Cory grinned. " _YEAH_! I think you should Shawnie! You heard what Maya said. She's  _really_  concerned about your well-being, that's all. She just wants to make sure you get home early and get a good night's rest instead of waiting for her cos she and Riley can take  _foreva_. So this has absolutely  _nothing_ to do with her wanting to spend some private time with her Sweetheart. Oh,  _no, no, nooo._ "

Shawn, Katy and Topanga laughed loudly at his comment as Maya and Josh blushed in embarrassment and sat quietly, while avoiding eye-contact with each other.

"Oh Cory," Shawn muttered affectionately as his laughter subsided. "I dunno what I'll do without ya buddy."

"Right back atcha," Cory responded with a fond smile.

Topanga and Katy rolled their eyes and shook their heads as they gave each other a knowing look.

"Alright Sweetheart. What dyou say? Should we let 'em walk home together?" Shawn asked Katy.

"Sure, why not?" Katy said as she smiled fondly at Maya and Josh.

"Alright Baby Matthews. It's now 10:15. She needs to be home by 11. She aint home by that time, no more walking her home. Ya got it?" Shawn warned him.

"Yeah," Josh responded with a nod.

"Good. Cor, Topanga, let's do brunch tomorrow? You guys free?" Shawn suggested.

"That works for me," Cory replied happily. "Topanga?"

"Sounds good to me! See you manana!"

"Baby Matthews, you're  _not_ invited!" Shawn said as he put on his coat. Josh pouted and hung his head sadly. The group chuckled in amusement at his reaction.

As Cory and Topanga went to see Shawn and Katy off at the door, Josh quickly turned to Maya, smiling. "So um, did you really record that uh, thing that I said...about you earlier?" He asked her, extremely curious to know the answer but nervous at the same time at what her response would be.

Maya grinned mischievously and kept him in suspense for a few seconds before responding. "I might have thought about it, but unfortunately no, I didn't record it." She stood up and gently adjusted the beanie on his head, as he sat looking up at her with a wide smile on his face.

"It woulda been good for you though if I  _had_  recorded it," Maya told him softly as she pulled both sides of his beanie down so that they comfortably covered his ears. "A recording would have come in handy for your Wedding vows  _someday_ , dontcha think?" She winked at him. Josh blushed profusely at her comment, and she chuckled softly at his reaction as she stepped away from him and started heading up the stairs.

"I'm gonna chat with Riles for like ten minutes. You stay there!" She told him before running off.

Josh watched her as she disappeared into his niece's room. He felt a great sense of euphoria and peace flooding him in that moment. Leaning back in his chair, he made himself comfortable and waited for her.


	13. Chapter 13

"Well, that was an  _exciting_  evening," Josh muttered with an amused grin as he and Maya set out on the quick ten-minute walk from Cory and Topanga's apartment to Maya's home.

Maya giggled at his comment and then started singing,  _"Hate to say I told you so, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh…I do believe I told you so, but ya - didn't - listen to MEEEEEEEE, yeah!"_  She concluded her impromptu song with her arms raised high in a jubilant dance pose.

Josh burst out laughing as he stared at her fondly.

"Uh, you gonna clap for me or what? Can't get outta this pose unless I get an applause. Duh." Maya told him as she stood there frozen with her arms still raised high, and her head pointed up at the night sky.

Josh chuckled and started clapping boisterously. "WOOOO! Bravo!" He cheered.

"Oh,  _thank you_! Thank you! I'm wonderful!  _I know_!" Maya responded with a wide, playful grin as she extended one arm to her side, placed the other arm on her chest and made an exaggerated bow.

Josh chuckled again and shook his head in immense amusement at her antics. It was small moments like these that made him realize why he never wanted her  _not_ to be in his life.

"Ok, show's over!  _Vamonos_ Tacos!" She said in Spanish as she grabbed his hand and started walking.

"You know, you really have an  _amazing_  voice," Josh told her after a few seconds of silence between them. "You ever thought about doing anything with that?" He asked her curiously.

"Like being a singer?"

"Yeah. Like making a career out of it- professionally. That'll be really cool. But, only if you want to, obviously," He said.

"I've thought about it- but, I don't really want to be famous like that," Maya admitted. "That's more of my Mom's dream- with acting. I actually get really nervous when I'm in the spotlight. I know that's hard to believe."

"It is," Josh agreed. "I would never have thought you would actually get super nervous in performing anything on a stage. I mean, you always seem so-"

"Confident?" Maya completed his sentence.

"Yeah," Josh nodded.

"That's just when I'm with friends or family or maybe even at school. But if I had to perform in-front of the whole world? Yeah, that's not happening. Besides, I like art more…so maybe I will do something with that. It's a way to express myself but without having to put myself out there in-front of errbody. Know what I mean?"

"Yeah, I get it," Josh responded. "That sounds great too, Maya. As long as you're pursuing what you're really passionate about- that's the most important thing. By the way, I'm still yet to see one of your iconic art pieces. When's that gonna happen?" He gave her a curious look.

Maya laughed evilly. "Ye-ah, that's  _never_ gonna happen." She told him.

" _What?_ Why not?" Josh protested.

"Because as of now, I  _only_ show my art to a few special people. Sorry, Boing, but you aint one of 'em." She grinned teasingly at him.

" _Wow_ , mind blown!" Josh exclaimed as he stared at her incredulously. "I'm  _literally_ holding your hand and accompanying you to your apartment at-" He peeked at his watch- "10:35pm on a Saturday night because you asked me to, and you're telling me that I can't see any of your art pieces cos I'm not special. I feel used." He shook his head sadly at her.

Maya giggled. "Sorrie!" She said, shrugging.

"So who are these  _special_ people that get to see your art?" Josh inquired.

"Ooh, somebody sounds jealous," Maya teased him.

" _Puh-leeze_. Just tell me," Josh mumbled.

Maya chuckled and thought for a moment before responding. "Let's see- Riley, Lucas, Zay, Farkle, Smackle, my parents, Cory and Topanga, Auggie, Ava  _and_ pretty much everyone at my school."

"What the  _hell_?!" Josh exclaimed as he came to a halt. Maya burst out laughing at his shell-shocked facial expression.

"You said it was a  _few, special people._ Sounds like the  _whole world_  gets to see your art except me!" He stated with an amused grin. "Heck, at this point, you might as well show Andrew and Jas!"

Maya chuckled. "I probably wouldn't mind showing them actually. I like 'em. You make good friends." She stated matter-of-factly.

Josh bit his lower lip as he stared at her amusedly. "Why am I the exception?" He asked in a slightly serious tone. "Why does  _everyone_ get to see your art except me?"

Maya shrugged, flashed him a sly grin and started walking off without answering him.

"Wow, so I get the silent treatment now too," Josh said as he caught up in step with her. "This is what a guy gets after enduring almost an hour of extreme razzing, bullying, embarrassment, blows to his ego and emotional trauma from his family all because he dared to admit to them that he  _really liked_ Maya Hunter… _dang_ , it's just not fair, man," He gave a long sigh.

Maya giggled amusedly at his comment for a few seconds before looking up at him with a serious expression on her face. "Josh, I just want you to know that if things don't work out one day between us, I'm gonna make sure that it doesn't affect your relationship with your family," She told him softly. "I'll never say a bad word about you to anyone. Not even to Riley...She adores you," She smiled warmly at him. "Of-course, you'll be in the wrong and I'll be in the right, cos as you know, I'm  _always_ right"- Josh smiled amusedly at this comment- "but I'll  _never_ trash you to your family- no matter what happens between us. That's my promise to you, Birthday Boy." She smiled fondly at him, then stared down at her feet. Various emotions-  _happiness, hope and fear-_  were raging within her and she found herself struggling to reconcile them all.

" _Our_ family, Maya," Josh's words cut through her thoughts, making her turn her attention back to him. "Not  _my_ family-  _our_ family. Wasn't that pretty obvious tonight?" He asked her. Maya thought for a second, then slowly nodded her head with a smile.

"Come here for a sec," Josh beckoned for her to move closer to him. When she did, he wrapped his arms around her in a gentle embrace. Maya buried her face in his chest while he rested his chin on her hair. After about a half-minute, he let her go, and they started walking again.

"What was that for?" Maya asked him curiously.

Josh shrugged. "Needed a place to rest my chin while I thought some more about what you said. Your head seemed like the perfect spot," He grinned. Maya chuckled and gave him a wide smile. "Ok. So what were your thoughts?"

"A couple things. While I'm pretty grateful to hear that no matter what happens, you're never gonna trash me to  _our_  family, I do think you could be a  _lil_ more optimistic...about us," He gently grabbed her hand and held on to it before continuing his statement. "It  _is_  true that we can never know for sure what's gonna happen in the future or whether things will ultimately work out between us. But despite that, I still choose to believe that we  _are_ going to work out. Now, I could be wrong, but I could also be right. And so I choose optimism and I try not to worry about the 'what ifs'. Hopefully, you'll get to that point someday when you can also believe and not worry too much about the negative 'what ifs'…"

"Yeah, hopefully," Maya replied. Josh smiled tenderly at her as he tucked a few strands of her hair behind her ear.

"I also thought about what it's going to take for you to delete that video that you took of my incredible dance moves. Perhaps, 20 bucks?"

Maya laughed hysterically. " _20 bucks?!_  Boing I can get far more than that if I work for like two hours at  _Topanga's._  Or if Shawn's in a  _really_ good mood. You're gonna have to do better if you want that video gone."

"Wait, so you've officially started working at  _Topanga's_?" Josh asked excitedly.

"Not quite. I'm still in training. But once I'm done, I'll start working mainly on weekends and school breaks."

"Awesome! Riley too?"

"Yeah, we're planning to start working together. Topanga and Mom think this will teach us how to be responsible. But we're just looking forward to getting our paychecks," She told him with a grin.

"Um duh, that's  _definitely_  the fun part," Josh agreed. "I'm excited for you guys. You're gonna let me know when your first day is right? I'll need to witness this disaster for myself- up close and personal," He grinned at her.

" _Shut up."_ Maya rolled her eyes at him. Josh laughed. "I'm just saying- if your service on my birthday is any indication of how you're going to work then  _Topanga's_ customers are in big trouble."

Maya stuck out her tongue at him which made him laugh even harder.

"How's your security job going Mr. Perfect? Bet you've been caught again for sneaking in your laptop to do 'homework' right?" Maya teased him. A few weeks back, during one of their phone conversations, Josh had told her the story of how he had gotten a warning from his college job because he had sneaked in his laptop to finish his homework while he was on duty. Maya had found the story hilarious because she simply couldn't believe that someone could actually get in trouble for doing their homework- except for Josh apparently. When she pressed him for more details, he explained that he worked for campus security and his job was basically to sit at the security desk and check students' identification cards once they entered the dormitories.

" _Wait, so if I walk in randomly one day, you'll need to check my ID before letting me into the dorm?" Maya had asked him._

" _Yeah, that's my job."_

" _And what if I don't have an ID?"_

" _Can't just let you in. First I'll need to confirm that you're a student and your name is in the system."_

" _And what if I say screw you and just keep going? What're you gonna do?"_

" _Um, good question. Will probably have to uh...chase you...and hope to God you're not a crazy person."_

" _Ha, chase me… when's your next shift? I'll be stopping by…"_

_Josh burst out laughing_.

It was a boring job, he told her, but one that was suitable for studying while making some money. The student employees weren't allowed to use any electronics while working, so Josh had started sneaking in his laptop to do homework or play games when he got bored during his shifts. Unfortunately for him, he got caught by his supervisor during one of his shifts and was given a warning. If he was caught with his laptop again while on duty, he would be fired.

"Nah, I haven't brought the laptop to work again since I got the warning," He informed Maya. "I like the job. Good pay. Easy-peasy. So, I don't really wanna lose it."

"How much you get paid again?" Maya asked him.

"15 bucks an hour."

Maya raised an eyebrow at him. "So, you're making some  _serious_  dough. And you thought you gon convince me  _with_   _20 bucks_  to delete my most precious possession showing all of your brilliant dance moves. Boy, you  _outta_ your mind. And in case you're wondering- before tonight, my most precious possession was a recording of your brother's snores-' _'yip yip yiiip yip!'-_ I've been thinking about playing it in class, whenever I fall asleep, just to confuse the hell out of him. We'll see…"

Josh laughed. "That snore  _always_  freaked me out," He admitted. "Especially the first time I heard it. I thought he was possessed."

Maya burst out laughing. "Yeah, it's  _really_ weird."

"Anyway, so if 20 bucks is no good, what do you want then?" Josh asked her, curious.

Maya thought for a few seconds before responding. "A hundred- and that's my final offer."

" _What the hell, Maya_!" Josh exclaimed in shock as he came to a standstill. "That's a lot of money kiddo! I might have a job but I'm still a poor college student with absolutely no career skills living in one of the most expensive cities in the world and absolutely dependent on my family for survival. You ain't getting a hundred bucks to delete a video, Hunter."

Maya laughed at the freaked-out look on his face. He looked like he was about to have a heart attack. "Well, cry me a river, Boing," She retorted with an amused grin. "We're  _all_ poor. Guess the video stays for my future,  _eveel_   _plaans_. No pain, no gain, Tacos!" She started walking off.

Josh chuckled as he caught up to her. They crossed the street together and came to a stop in-front of her apartment building. Maya turned to him and gave him a salute.

"Dis my stop!" She said with a wide, teasing grin. "It's been real, bro. See ya!" She started walking away.

" _Not_ so fast!" Josh yelled out as he quickly grabbed her arm and spun her around to face him again. Maya chuckled amusedly - having expected his reaction.

" _What?_ A girl can't go home in peace without any hassle now, Boing? What do  _you_ want?!"

Josh grinned. "I'm gonna find a way to get you to delete that video  _and_ to let me see your art. You won't even know what hit ya."

"Oh  _really_?" Maya asked him, looking utterly amused.

"Yes,  _really_ ," Josh nodded confidently.

"Ok then. Guess we'll have to wait and see. Later," Maya turned to leave again.

"Hold on!" Josh stopped her again.

" _What_?"

"Gee, a little impatient tonight, kiddo. We still have like ten minutes until 11," Josh observed.

"I got stuff to do!  _Plans_  to make…" She smiled at him mischievously.

Josh shook his head in amusement, as he gazed at her affectionately.

"Next Tuesday works for you?" He asked.

"For what?"

"Our first Math tutoring session."

"Oh, that."

"Forgot about it already?" He chuckled.

"No. It was more like I was hoping  _you'd_  forget." She grinned at him. "Yeah Tuesday works. You gonna let me know the time?"

"Yep."

"And can we do something fun afterwards like grab tacos or something?" She asked.

"Hmm,  _maybe_ not tacos. It's gonna be pretty close to dinner time when we're done I'm thinking. So might be a better idea to just go home for dinner. We could get a snack though," Josh suggested.

"I'm pretty sure that after torturing me with all those fractions, I'll be ready to eat a horse- so two tacos plus dinner wouldn't be a problem for me at all." Maya stated confidently.

"Ok, we'll see," Josh responded, grinning.

"Oh, and you're paying. After all, it's totally  _your_  fault that instead of chilling with my friends after school like I usually do, I'll be in Boing detention learning stupid fractions. JUST WANNA SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT PEOPLE THAT I DIDN'T VOLUNTEER FOR THIS!" She yelled out into the open air so that a few passers-by glanced at them curiously before walking past.

Josh laughed. "What're you  _doing_?!" He asked her with a befuddled look. "Ya  _crazy_? Trying to wake up the whole neighborhood?"

"May-be?" Maya shrugged with a sly grin.

"You're  _really_ hyper tonight," Josh observed. "More so than usual. Must be the cake and all the other desserts."

"Nah, I'm just in a  _really_ good mood," Maya responded.

"Oh, perhaps because of the presence of a certain tall, dark, handsome companion?"

" _Mtcheww_ ," Maya sucked her teeth. "Gimme a break. I gotta go. Boy, bye!" She turned to leave again.

"Heyy, wait!"

Maya spun around again.

" _Joshua_ , it is  _almost_ _my bedtime_. Thought you were all about me getting an eight hour plus sleep, Doctor," She teased him.

"Yeah, but you never listen to me anyway so I've given up."

"You would be a  _terrible_  doctor if you treated your patients that way. Just giving up cos they don't listen?  _No good_."

Josh grinned. "Well, you're my most difficult patient, so- you get special treatment," He winked at her.

Maya moved closer to him till their faces were mere inches apart.

"Why d'you keep stopping me Boing?" She asked softly, as she gazed at him.

Josh immediately leaned in and placed a kiss on her forehead. He let his lips linger for a little longer than usual before straightening back up.

"Goodnight, Maya." He said.

Maya stared at him with an eyebrow raised and an "are you serious right now?" expression on her face. "So this is what you kept stopping me for?" She asked him. "All that 'hold on Maya' was for a kiss I could've gotten from my Mom?"

Josh chuckled. "Yeah."

"Couldn't make it to here?" She pointed to her lips. "You got Mono or sum'n?" She teased him. Josh burst out laughing.

"See this is what happens when you talk to the parents," Maya teased him. "Keeping it PG, ha? We had barely gotten this whole kissing thing started and then you just  _had_  to go ruin it," She shook her head at him in disappointment.

"It's not Mono, and it's not the parents," Josh responded.

"So, what's bothering you  _this_ time Mr. Matthews? Please do tell. I got exactly one minute to hear this new excuse for why you can't manage to kiss a girl on the lips," She pretended to look at a watch and sighed wearily.

"You gonna delete that video and show me one of your art pieces?" Josh asked.

Maya burst out laughing when she heard him.

"Oh, so you trying to play  _games_ , Baby Matthews," She said, extremely amused.

Josh couldn't help laughing when she suddenly referred to him with Shawn's nickname for him. "Nope. Just trying to arrange a simple transaction, is all," He responded to her accusation. "See, it's basic economics- give and take. You give me what I want, you can take what you want. It's as simple as that."

Maya chuckled. "You're cute. Just  _adorable,_ really," She said to him, as she patted his head condescendingly. "You  _really_ think that because of your  _one_  PG-rated kiss, I'm just gonna do whatever you want?"

"Well it could be tonight's and  _all_ future PG-rated kisses. Will have to check with my lawyers on that, but that's probably what's gonna happen," Josh responded.

Maya grinned at him amusedly. "Ok, Boing. You go ahead and keep those kisses. Nighty-night." She turned around once more to leave.

_Well that was a massive fail,_ Josh thought to himself in embarrassment as he watched her briskly walk away. He waited a few seconds to see if she would turn back around but decided that wasn't going to happen when she found her key, unlocked her apartment building gate and then started walking towards the elevator inside.

Operating solely on his instincts, Josh used his hand to stop the gate from closing, and then quickly followed her inside the building. He casually went and stood beside her as she waited for the elevator. When Maya ignored him, he started whistling softly.

Maya shook her head in amusement as a wide grin grew on her face. The elevator soon arrived and without so much as a word to him, or even a glance, she made a move to get inside.

"Maya, wait. Please," Josh attempted to stop her. She paused for a few seconds- almost as if she was deciding what her next move would be- before turning back around to face him and leaving the elevator door to close behind her.

"Oh look- it's yo _u_ again!" She grinned widely at him- pretending as if she was just noticing him. "What's up? Need a place to stay for the night? We don't have a spare room like at Cory and Topanga's but I think we got a couch available. Wanna hang there? Wear Shawn's old PJs? I'll make you some tea?" She teased him.

Josh chuckled as he felt his face heating up from more embarrassment. For the sake of his pride, he decided not to say a word.

"What, cat got your tongue?" Maya continued teasing him. "Ya gotta say sum'n Boing. I ain't got all night. Parents will be calling me soon wondering if you kidnapped me or something."

_Oh, screw it,_ Josh thought to himself as he moved closer to her, leaned in and captured her lips with his. He kissed her a bit more passionately than usual, before pulling back after a few seconds. Scratching the back of his head shyly and avoiding eye-contact, he braced himself for another round of teasing.

Maya giggled as she stared at him in immense amusement. The more she got to know him, the more she found the contradictory aspects and nuances of his personality to be incredibly fascinating. He seemed to be quite firm in his resolve when handling serious issues concerning her- such as his insistence on playing the long game instead of dating her right away, or informing her parents of their feelings for each other a lot sooner than she would have preferred. But on other relatively minor issues, such as his threat to not kiss her until she gave in to his demands to delete the video and show him her art, his resolve was incredibly weak. Maya was shocked that it hadn't even taken a minute for him to lose his resolve and give in to her. It was all incredibly fascinating and entertaining for her to watch.

"Umm, so, I'm gonna take a wild guess and say you've definitely changed your mind about your whole ' _I'm not gonna give you any more kisses until you do what I say, Maya! Boing has spoken!'_ threat _,"_ She teased him with a wide grin on her face.

Josh hung his head, his face still heated and now slightly pink from both the embarrassment he was feeling at his lack of resolve, and from Maya's continued teasing. He decided his best option at that point was to leave and thus save the little pride that he still had left. He had kept her a little longer than he should have anyway and her parents would probably be calling soon.

"Ye-ah, I'm gonna go now. G'nite," He turned to walk away.

"Oh no, you don't!" Maya stated, giggling amusedly, as she grabbed his arm and stopped him. She turned him around to face her.

" _Hello_? Look at me," She said as she noticed his attempts to avoid eye-contact with her. When he finally looked at her, he gave her a weak smile.

"Alright Boing," Maya stated. "Here's the thing. I'm a nice person. And because I'm a nice person,  _and_  I also have a pretty good memory of just three days ago at  _Topanga's_ when I totally embarrassed myself but you were super sweet about it, I'm gonna let this one go and  _not_ rub it in your face too much...tonight. Tomorrow, all bets are off," She grinned. "But for tonight, I'm gonna stop teasing you. So, you can stop looking around everywhere but at the one place I know you  _really_  wanna look at which is my gorgeous face. And you can also bring  _your_  face back to its normal color. Sounds good?"

Josh chuckled. "Yeah, sounds good."

Maya smiled. "And uh, I hope you weren't offended by my rating your kisses PG. I was just messing with you," She told him.

Josh grinned at her. "No worries. I wasn't offended. Like your dad said, they are  _supposed_ to be PG. So, I don't mind it if that's how you actually feel."

"Ha, so you agree with Shawn on that? Lemme guess, Mr. Three Years Older Than You, you're trying to preserve my innocence cos of my age?" Maya asked him curiously.

Josh chuckled amusedly and thought for a moment before responding. "You could put it that way," He said. "Or you could see it as the long game being played out as it should be- which means that no one is rushing and we're taking things slow with a stronger emphasis on friendship. Makes sense?"

Maya gave him a mischievous look.

"Uh-oh," Josh sensed danger.

" _Mister… Matthews_ ," She said, "what if I woke up one day and simply decided- I don't want to be innocent anymore. It's time to speed things up and get exposed to certain experiences. What would you do?"

" _Wow._ What a  _loaded_ question," Josh replied as he searched his brain to find the most honest answer to her inquiry.

"Ms. Hunter," He finally responded, "If this decision of yours were to happen  _now_ in our waiting period, then the most honest answer I can give you is that I'll kindly oblige your wishes and step back so that you could live your own life and do what you want without me holding you back. Long story short, I will most certainly  _not_  be the one helping you to lose your innocence, if that's what you're asking. If this were to happen  _after_  we officially started dating, then the most honest answer I can give you is, we'll talk about it then. Did I answer your question?"

"Yeah," Maya nodded. "You did. Now here's what I'm wondering. Let's say I felt this way now in our waiting period. You said you will certainly  _not_  be the one to help me lose my innocence and that you will just step back. Now, is this going to be one of your firm resolutions or one of your weak ones where you will change your mind in like two seconds flat? Sometimes, it's hard to know which Boing I'm gonna get so, I'm just curious," She winked at him.

Josh shook his head at her in amusement. "You said you were gonna stop teasing me tonight about my lil embarrassing episode," He retorted.

"I'm not teasing you, I swear!" Maya responded with a smile. "I'm actually asking a serious question. Which Josh would be making that decision?"

"The Josh that's super firm with his resolutions," He replied. "This is something that I actually feel pretty strongly about."

"Why? Tell me more. Is it  _just_ because of the age difference?" Maya probed.

"Well, the age difference is a big factor but it's not just the age difference. Now obviously, I didn't always feel this way, but certain experiences teach you important life lessons. Like for example, I've come to realize that certain things are not worth rushing to lose. Innocence is one of them. The longer it's preserved, the better- in my opinion. Remember when I encouraged Riley to find  _Barry the Bear Bear_?"

Maya nodded. "You said something like how high school was our last chance to still be innocent or some crap like that."

Josh laughed. "I see you  _really_ appreciated what I had to say."

"To be honest, I wasn't really paying attention. I was still thinking about the fact that we held hands for like ten seconds after you walked in. And then I called you 'honey' and you acted like it was totally normal.  _And_  I also really wanted tacos. I was starving." Maya admitted.

Josh grinned fondly at her. "Yeah. Sounds like you. Thanks for the honesty."

"Anytime." Maya grinned. "Can I ask you a super personal question? And you don't have to answer tonight if you don't want to."

Josh bit his lower lip nervously. "I think I already know what you're going to ask based on the direction of our conversation thus far but go ahead."

Maya took a deep breath. "Have you...lost your 'innocence' yet?" She asked him frankly.

For Josh, knowing the question she was about to ask didn't make it any easier to hear. But he had always known that it was a topic that they would have to address- sooner or later.

"For the sake of precision, I'm going to assume that you're asking me whether I'm still a virgin. Is that a reasonable assumption?" He asked her.

"Yes," Maya nodded. She felt her phone vibrating in her bag, but she ignored it as she waited with bated breath for his response.

Josh paused for a few seconds before responding. His heart was racing, and he could feel his palms clamming up. He wasn't sure exactly how she would react to his response and that's what made him the most nervous.

"No, I'm no longer a virgin," He answered her. "I lost it Sophomore year of high school to my girlfriend at the time. I wish I hadn't rushed into losing it then but what's done is done...Anyway, that's all I'm willing to say about it for now since it's late, and I think I heard a phone vibrating. Was it yours or mine?" He asked.

"It was mine," Maya replied. "Parents probably. I'll head up in a sec. Thanks for being honest with me Josh. I really appreciate it." She smiled.

"Anytime, Maya," He beamed at her. "If you ever have any other questions, please don't hesitate to ask."

"Oh, I won't," She responded boldly. Josh grinned, "Of course you won't," He muttered teasingly.

Maya giggled. She drew closer to him and pressed a soft, quick peck on his lips. Pulling back, she made a face at him. " _Innocent_  enough for ya?" She teased him.

Josh laughed and gave her a thumbs-up. Maya simply shook her head and turned to press the elevator button. The door opened right away. She stepped in and held the door open as she turned to look at him for the final time that evening.

"By the way," She told him, "regardless of how I might feel at any particular point in time, now or in the future, please don't step back. Heck, I might even want to step back from you or push you away- but know that deep down, I'll always want you to stay..." She paused for a second before finishing her thought process. "I can handle a lot of things, Josh- and I can handle  _waiting_ for a lot of things. But what I'm not sure I'll be able to handle is people like you stepping back. So, because of our conversation tonight, I just wanted to make that clear. And don't think you're super special cos I told you this. I'm pretty sure I've said something like this to your niece like a bazillion times. Neways, nighty-night. This elevator is about to bite my hand off. Bye!" She waved at him.

"Bye, Maya," He responded.

Heading back home that night, he reflected on the day's events- specifically, the most memorable and heartfelt moments. Auggie's face and his affectionate words quickly came to mind...Riley asking him to dance...His family gathered together, happy together and celebrating his birthday...The immense love that he had felt throughout the evening's events...The awkward, but in his viewpoint, absolutely necessary talk that he had had with the parents about him and Maya… _Maya_ …She was at the center of it all...His thoughts kept circling back to her… standing inside an elevator which she was forcing to stay open just so she could remind him that she'd always want him to stay no matter what...His thoughts remained consumed with her...her smile...her words...her kiss…until he finally shut his eyes and she drifted serenely into his dreams.


	14. Chapter 14

Josh pulled into the small parking lot of  _Chubbie's_ diner in Cedar Heights, Philadelphia with his grey _2001 Mazda_  which he had fondly nicknamed  _Thelma_ when he inherited it from his older sister, Morgan, a couple years ago. The car was practically ancient after fifteen years of use. His parents had purchased it as an affordable used car for Morgan back in 2001 when she started driving. When Morgan went off to college and eventually moved out of the house in 2007, Josh's parents refurbished the car and made sure it remained in great driving condition before officially handing it over to Josh in 2014 when he turned 16 and could start driving legally with his learner's permit. As an excited new driver and "cool" 16-year-old, Josh was not too pleased about having to drive around his sister's "really old" car. But it was either that or constantly having to beg his friends for rides everywhere- which was highly inconvenient and extremely "uncool." So, he kept his complaints to himself and accepted the car. What he hadn't expected was how much he would fall in love with the car- its cozy, petite size, relative ease in driving, and durability despite its advanced age. He nicknamed it  _Thelma,_ because the car reminded him of an elderly lady named Thelma whom he developed a close relationship with at Cedar Heights Nursing home where he had volunteered on a regular basis as a Freshman and Sophomore in high school.

Thelma Jones was an ailing, bed-ridden 85-year-old with a sweet personality, a serene smile and a sharp sense of humor despite her complicated medical condition. She loved pictures, and she and Josh instantly bonded over the numerous stories she would tell him about her life as they spent hours flipping through her various photo albums. Occasionally, Josh would take pictures of her and print them out for her to keep which pleased her immensely. She would repeat the same stories and jokes, but Josh didn't seem to mind. This made Josh her favorite volunteer and he loved her equally as much. He didn't have much of a relationship with his grandparents (mainly because according to Amy and Alan- both sets of grandparents hadn't completely forgiven his parents for falling in love and eloping years ago before Josh was born) so Thelma essentially became a surrogate grandmother for him.

When he started driving the car unofficially as a 15 year old so he could get some practice before he turned 16, it immediately reminded him of the elderly woman- seemingly frail at first glance, but indomitable, warm and resilient once he became more acquainted with her. He fondly remembered the day he informed Thelma that he had named his first car after her. She cackled gleefully and asked him if he would take her for a ride one day. "You betcha! Once you finally leave this bed," Josh had responded enthusiastically even though he knew that would most likely never happen. Approximately a month following this conversation, Josh experienced his first loss when he learned of Thelma's death. He was devastated and grieved her loss almost as if she had been part of his family.

Losing Thelma is what led him to seriously consider a career as a doctor. Until then, he had only thought about photography and occasionally daydreamed about being a famous Major League Baseball player for the  _Phillies_ (he was never  _that_ good at Baseball though, so he knew that was never going to happen)."Lookie here, Josh," Thelma once told him when she was alive, "I like you better than  _all_  my doctas combined! You  _actually_  have time for me and yer're a lot more fun. Hurry up and be a docta kid so's I can fire all my cockamamie doctas and just hire ya!" She chuckled amusedly to herself as Josh grinned. After her passing, Josh fondly recalled her words and resolved to become a physician in Thelma's honor so that he could help improve the quality of life of the sick elderly.

As he now sat inside  _Chubbie's_ diner waiting for Anna on the last Friday afternoon of his Spring break visit back home, he found himself immersed in memories of his ex-girlfriend. He remembered how supportive Anna had been during his difficult mourning period for Thelma. Anna had met Thelma a couple of times when she accompanied Josh to the nursing home. Out of all his friends, she was the only one who fully understood how much the elderly lady had meant to him. The day that Josh informed her of Thelma's death, Anna immediately invited Josh to her church after school where they both said a prayer for Thelma. This didn't take away Josh's pain, but it gave him a lot of comfort to pray for Thelma with the hope that she was in heaven and no longer suffering. After the church visit, they drove straight to  _Chubbie's_ \- their favorite hangout spot like most John Adams students - where Anna patiently listened to Josh's fun stories of Thelma as they slowly sipped their smoothies.

In fact, he couldn't remember a moment when Anna wasn't there for him when he needed her- such as attending most of his games (both soccer and baseball) and cheering him on as a dutiful friend (and later on, girlfriend), despite her own busy schedule as a member of the golf team and co-editor of the school newspaper. She was also extremely smart and was always available for any intellectual conversations that Josh wanted to engage in. They only dated for a year - from the second semester of their Freshman year in high school to the second semester of their Sophomore year- but they had been close friends since 8th grade at John Adams Junior High.

Anna Winthrop was a new student in their 8th grade class as her family had recently moved to Cedar Heights, Philadelphia from New York due to her father's new job. The class bully- Greg Paulson- was eager to take advantage of her "new student status," and accosted Anna during lunch as she sat eating by herself while casually reading a book. Josh had been sitting with a couple of his buddies from his baseball team at the time- his best friend, Kyle Patterson, and his other teammate, Eric Masters. He had a clear view of where Anna was seated and quickly sensed his protective instincts kicking in as soon as Greg strolled in with his two cronies and headed straight towards Anna.

"Hey, new chick!" Greg called out to Anna. "Ain't you too pretty to be sitting by yourself? Wanna sit with us?!" Anna took a glance at the trio and shook her head forcefully. " _Nope_ , I'm good," She said softly.

"You're  _good?"_ Greg retorted disdainfully as his two buddies burst out laughing. "What, we aint  _good_  enuff for you, is that it? You think you're all that hot, eh,  _newbie_?" He leaned closer to her with a threatening grin on his face. At this point, Josh found himself standing up as he continued studying the scene carefully.

"Dude, don't get involved. Just let the teachers take care of it," Josh heard Kyle whisper, but he ignored him. He couldn't  _stand_  bullies and because of that he and Greg Paulson had been at odds ever since 5th grade. Greg had never tried to bully  _him_  mainly because he tended to avoid bothering the athletes in class since like most bullies, Greg was a coward. However, there were a few times when Josh had angrily confronted him in an effort to defend other students who were being bullied. Usually, Greg would back off whenever Josh (and Kyle- whom Josh will drag along) would get involved.

" _Stupid Idiot_. Almost got left back last year. You'd think he'd stop pulling this crap," Eric, his other friend, muttered as he shook his head disapprovingly at the scene.

"Hey Paulson!" Josh yelled out as he caught the attention of almost every student in the cafeteria. " _Leave her alone_ ," He warned him in a low, threatening voice.

"Oh yeah? Why should I? I'm  _sick_  and  _tired_  of your  _crap_ , Matthews. I don't take orders from you, you know that right?" Greg responded aggressively.

"I don't give a  _crap_  who you take orders from. You better leave her alone - unless you wanna be charged for sexual harassment cos I'm pretty sure what you're doing will qualify," Josh retorted. Some of the students gasped in shock at Josh's statement while others snickered in amusement at the scene.

Greg left Anna's side and walked menacingly towards Josh, his cronies following along behind him like mindless robots. "What did you just say to me, Matthews?" He hissed as he reached Josh's table. "You gonna report me for sexual harassment? Who the hell in this school is gonna believe that? I didn't sexually harass  _anybody_ so get the hell outta here!"

" _Watch_  your mouth, Paulson." Kyle hissed as he stood up and backed up Josh. "I heard  _everything,_  and it sounded like sexual harassment to me. So, seems to me like you better leave her alone or we are reporting you. And I'm pretty sure she'd back us up considering how quickly she rejected your offer. So, what's your choice gonna be?"

Greg stood silently for a few seconds as he eyed the two boys- his archenemies. They were bigger and stronger than him- he knew that much. It wasn't worth going up against them and risk humiliation in front of the entire class.

"Ya both are full of  _crap._  Why don't you go get your own girlfriend, Matthews? Stop trying to interfere in my game. Aren't there enough girls out here in your pretty lil fan club? You need the newbie to join too?  _So_ pathetic. This aint over," Greg hissed at Josh. "Let's go! We'll get her another time." He commanded his two buddies who immediately turned to follow him out of the cafeteria. "Bye Babe!" Greg called out to Anna with a wave of his hand and a smirk as he strolled out.

Anna rolled her eyes as she gently shook her head and returned to the book that she was reading.

"You try to 'get her' any other time Paulson, I'm reporting you- you idiot!" Josh yelled out after him as a bunch of his fellow classmates started laughing. Greg, feeling humiliated, flipped his middle finger at Josh, and quickly stomped off.

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh," Some of the students started intoning when they saw the vulgar action. Josh simply shook his head and sat back down to continue his lunch.

A few minutes later, Anna walked up to their table and gave Josh a shy smile as she pushed a few strands of her straight, flowing brunette hair behind her ears. She had bright, greyish eyes which were difficult not to notice. "Um, I just wanted to say thanks, for earlier," She said. "I'm used to bullies cos my family- we move a lot and I'm almost always the new kid in school- but I appreciate you standing up for me. And you too," She looked over at Kyle and gave him a warm smile.

"You're welcome," Josh answered. "He bothers you again, you let us know. He's a stupid coward. Just trying to pick on vulnerable people for attention."

"Yeah, I figured," Anna nodded. "What are your names again?" She asked curiously.

"I'm Josh," Josh quickly introduced himself. "These are my buddies- Kyle and Eric."

"Sup?" Eric responded with a nod of his head, as Kyle smiled widely at her- his gaze fixated on her.

Anna grinned. "I'm Anna. Nice meeting you all. And of course, it makes sense now why Mr. Bully didn't wanna mess with you. You three are on the baseball team."

" _How_ did you know? This like your first day girl!" Eric responded looking surprised. Anna giggled.

"I saw the poster- on the bulletin boards. Your pictures are everywhere."

"Oh yeah," Eric replied, grinning. "Almost forgot about those."

"I hate those pictures," Josh mumbled as he shook his head and sighed.

Anna laughed. "It's ok, you all look fine," She grinned, as she gave Josh a pointed look. "You guys got a game this coming Friday, right? Saw it on the school schedule."

"Yeah," they nodded.

"Ok cool, I'll be there. Consider me part of your fan club," She smiled widely.

They burst out laughing.

"What book are you reading?" Josh asked, curious.

"Oh,  _Macbeth._ " She responded casually as she held up the book for them to see.

" _Wow._ We haven't even started  _Shakespeare_ yet!" Eric exclaimed in shock. "You just reading that for fun?" He asked her.

"Yeah," She nodded. "I love reading."

"Dude, Josh, looks like you finally met your girl nerd. He does weird stuff too like reading  _Shakespeare_ \- for  _fun_. I'm not kidding." Eric pointed out.

Josh grinned. "Ignore him," He told Anna. "Have you read other  _Shakespeares_ too? Or just this one?"

"Hmm," Anna thought for a moment. "I've also read  _Romeo and Juliet_ and a  _Midsummer Night's Dream._ "

"Cool," Josh simply stated with a wide smile. He was absolutely intrigued. This was his first time meeting a girl who was as intellectually curious as he was.

"What  _Shakespeares_ have you read?" She asked him.

"Um, let's see... _Hamlet_ \- which is my favorite.  _Macbeth,_ and  _Julius Caesar._ I tried  _Romeo and Juliet_  but couldn't finish it. Too cheesy," Josh said. His buddies burst out laughing.

"Oh, that's too bad," Anna responded as she shook her head sadly. "I take it you're not a hopeless romantic then?"

Josh chuckled. "Um no," He replied. "And even if I were, not a really cool thing to admit at my current age and gender," He grinned, shrugging. Eric and Kyle laughed in amusement. Anna giggled.

"Makes sense," She nodded. "Telling the boys you like  _Romeo and Juliet_ might ruin your manly, tough, jock reputation. No worries, Josh. Your secret's safe with me, 'Mr. I didn't finish  _Romeo and Juliet.' Rii-ight…_ " She gave him an amused and skeptical look.

"Ohhhhhh...busted!" Kyle and Eric intoned, as they burst out laughing again. Josh chuckled as he felt himself blushing slightly from her teasing. "No comment," He simply stated as he bit his lower lip in embarrassment.

Anna grinned widely at him and nodded her head in response. The bell rang right in that moment- signalling the end of their lunch period.

"You know, Anna, you should sit with us next lunch period. Greg will stop bothering you then. And maybe you can chat some more  _Shakespeare_ with Mr. Nerdy over here," Kyle suggested as he pointed his head towards Josh.

Anna smiled. "Thanks for the offer, Kyle. But I'm only taking it if Mr. Nerdy wouldn't mind. Do you mind, Josh, if I start sitting with you guys?" She asked him shyly.

Josh gave her a warm smile. "Nope, not at all," He responded.

"Ok, then. See you guys next lunch period. Thanks again for helping me out. Wish all jocks were like you," She said.

"At your service, Ms. Anna," Kyle replied with an exaggerated salute. Anna giggled amusedly and left the cafeteria.

"Dude, she was  _totally_ flirting with you!" Eric exclaimed to Josh excitedly.

"What? Was not," Josh immediately protested. "You guys always think  _every_  girl is flirting with me. She was just super grateful that we helped her out, that's all," He shrugged.

Eric and Kyle gave each other a bemused look. "Josh, dude," Eric patted him gently on his shoulder like he was a little boy, "seriously, how are you so clueless sometimes? The girl is  _totally_  into you. She was like giving you  _all_  the signs. You better not screw this one up. I still can't get over why you're always playing so hard to get. You know how many girls here would love to be your girl? You just gotta  _choose_ , man." Eric shook his head disapprovingly at him as Kyle chuckled amusedly.

Josh simply took his tray and headed to the garbage can to discard the contents of his meal. "I'm not playing hard to get. I went out with Olivia three weeks ago, remember?" He said.

"And then you told her you weren't interested after like three days of going out," Kyle pointed out as they started exiting the cafeteria.

"Well I wasn't," Josh retorted. "I'm not going to lead someone on if I'm not interested. That's just not cool," He tried to defend himself.

"Dude, but she's  _really_ cute. Like you could have made it last for more than three days," Eric observed as he shook his head at him.

Josh sighed. "I just wasn't interested," He replied. "I couldn't fake it anymore. I mean yeah, she's cute and all, but all she could talk about was how rich her parents were, and how she was going to throw a big party for her upcoming birthday and then she asked me for ideas on what dress she should wear and started pulling out pictures on her phone. Oh, and she called me 'hot' like fifty times. I was done. Just couldn't do it. I mean, it was cool when we were teamed up for the Science experiment cos all we did was talk about the project and she had some pretty good ideas, so I thought it'd be cool to go out with her, but yeah,  _nope_."

" _Unbelievable_ ," Kyle muttered. "Dude, you realize you're like the only guy in this world who would actually complain that a cute, rich girl called you hot right? Like, you realize how many ugly guys would love to be in your shoes right now?"

Josh chuckled. "Shut up, man. That's a  _messed-up_  thing to say," He responded.

"You know what, Kyle, I blame - oh, what's her face? –  _Shirley Rutson_! Dude, I don't think Josh ever got over her!" Eric stated confidently.

Josh and Kyle both burst out laughing. Shirley Rutson was Josh's first kiss- in 7th grade. They had been close friends and Josh had had a crush on her since 6th grade. When she agreed to go to the Spring dance with him in 7th grade, Josh finally mustered the courage to kiss her- with her permission of course- after their awkward dance. Following the dance, they started "dating" for a month- which just meant that Josh bought her a bunch of  _Chubbie's_  smoothies with his allowance money, they spent a little bit more time together, and had one more innocent kiss before Shirley's family had to move from Cedar Heights. It had been a sad moment for Josh when he said goodbye to her before their Summer break, but he got over it eventually as the summer progressed. They were now Facebook friends.

"It's  _not_ because of Shirley," Josh said. "Like I said, I just don't like leading people on. That's all."

"Alright, Fr. Josh," Kyle replied with an amused grin. "Let us know when you become a priest. We'll come for Confession."

Eric burst out laughing as Josh rolled his eyes at them.

"You know I'm not Catholic right?" Josh retorted.

"Whatever, man," Kyle responded with a dismissive wave of his hand as they strolled into their classroom right before the school bell rang a second time.

Josh's friendship with Anna began after she started sitting with him, Kyle and Eric for lunch. They easily bonded over their "nerdy" interest in advanced books that their fellow classmates were not yet reading, along with other interests that they quickly discovered about themselves- such as, a similar taste in music (Coldplay and U2); straight As on their report card; playing Chess;  _Chubbie's_ smoothies; a love of volunteering (Nursing home for Josh; Food pantry for Anna); a slightly similar sense of humor (they both liked to tease each other); ambitious goals for the future (Photography and Doctor for Josh; Engineering for Anna).

Needless to say, Josh slowly started to develop some feelings for her as their Freshman year of high school progressed, and he was very much aware of how much  _she_ was infatuated with him. But, for a while, he hesitated to initiate a romantic relationship with her because he didn't want to jeopardize their friendship (which he cared strongly about),  _and_  he wasn't sure his feelings for her were strong enough to carry them through a serious, long term relationship which wouldn't ultimately end in an awkward break-up like so many of their colleagues' "relationships."

He wasn't a hopeless romantic, but he  _was_  aware of the concept of being totally crazy about or completely falling for that  _one, right girl._ Heck, his brother, Cory- whom he looked up to more than any of his other siblings- found  _that special girl_  when he was in Junior High and now they were happily married. Josh still vividly remembered Cory promising him when he was around six years old that one day,  _he_ would find  _his_  Topanga. As much as he knew that it was probably not realistic, and that Cory had just been fortunate to find his best friend and future life partner at such a young age, he still couldn't get the idea of  _the one_ out of his subconscious simply because it was Cory who had planted that idea in there. That is how much he trusted and respected his brother.

He also couldn't help applying that idea to his feelings for Anna and sensing almost immediately that what Cory had promised him was  _not quite_  what he was feeling for her. He couldn't rationally explain it, but something just felt  _off._ He knew that he  _loved_ Anna very much- as a friend. If he was to ever lose her friendship, he would be devastated. There was simply no one else in his immediate universe that he could bond with friendship-wise the way he had bonded with her. But, romantically, he just wasn't sure that they would make it- and he was determined not to risk their special friendship over some feelings that could possibly fade over time.

The second semester of their Freshman year in high school, he sensed the tension simmering between them as Anna kept sending him stronger hints that she wanted to move their relationship to the next level, and he kept hesitating to do so in his determination to maintain the status quo between them. Eventually, Josh was forced to deal with the growing tension between them when Anna kissed him out of the blue as they celebrated his game-winning home-run in one of Josh's baseball games. The kiss threw him by surprise but that didn't stop him from kissing her back. Once that happened, he knew that they could no longer remain just friends. It would be too awkward between them and it wouldn't be fair to her. So, after a lengthy discussion where Josh voiced his concerns and she did her best to assuage them by promising him that no matter what happened, they would always be friends, they started dating.

It didn't take long for Josh to realize that she felt a lot more strongly for him romantically than he did for her. That bothered him and always made him feel slightly guilty. She'd go out of her way to get him little gifts that she knew he'd appreciate, rearrange her schedule sometimes so she could make it to his games, or send him sweet messages whenever they couldn't spend much time together because of their busy schedules. In return, Josh tried to do his best to be a good boyfriend by remaining faithful to her, showering her with as much affection as he could (both physical and emotional) and being there for her. But deep down within, the gnawing, uncomfortable feeling that something wasn't quite right between them remained- and this frustrated him. On paper, Anna was the perfect girlfriend, so it annoyed him that he couldn't reciprocate her feelings with the same intensity.

His inner frustrations and discomfort only increased after she (with some help from Josh's parents) organized a big, surprise 16th birthday party for him during their Sophomore year of high school. That was when she told him that she loved him in the middle of their kissing make-out session towards the end of the party when they had a private moment for themselves. Josh felt his heart sink as soon as he heard the words. His heart sank even lower when he saw the hurt look in her eyes- a look that indicated that she knew he didn't feel the same way.

"Um, I'm sorry, Anna," He found himself apologizing. She turned away from him and tried to blink back her tears. Josh felt utterly miserable.

"It's been  _almost_ a year of us dating, Josh. Do you still need more time to feel that way for me?" She mumbled dejectedly as she wiped away her tears. Josh didn't know what to say as he stood quietly, wishing that he could be anywhere else other than where he currently was.

"I'm so sorry," He found himself repeating again. There was no way he could say those words to her. They would be a huge lie and he would hate himself even more for lying to her about something as important as that.

"It's ok," Anna sighed as she turned back around to face him with a forced smile. "I can't force you to feel what you don't feel. Maybe it's too early, still? Maybe sometime soon you'll get there?"

"Yeah, maybe…" Josh responded wishing with all his might that things would actually happen that way. There was a part of him that wanted to be completely honest with her in that moment about his discomfort, his guilt and his inner frustrations concerning their relationship and his feelings. There was a part of him that wanted to blurt out that perhaps it would be better (and easier) if they simply went back to being just friends. She wanted a lot more and he just couldn't give her that. Worse, he wasn't sure if he would ever get there.  _That_ was the truth- no matter how much he tried to avoid or ignore it. But how in the world could he tell her that after she had just declared her love for him? It would have crushed her- and he cared so much for her. Unfortunately, it just wasn't enough.


	15. Chapter 15

**Anna** -  _Hey Josh, so sorry! I'm 5 minutes away! Almost there._

**Josh** -  _No worries! Your smoothie's waiting :)_

**Anna** _\- Lol! Ok, thanks :)_

Josh took a sip of his strawberry, banana smoothie and glanced around  _Chubbie's_ diner. Not much had changed since the last time he was there during his one-month long Christmas break from college back in January. He had hung out a few times with Kyle, Eric and a couple other friends and reminisced about "the good ole days" at John Adams even though he had only been away for a semester since skipping his Senior year at Adams to start his Freshman year at NYU. His friends had been curious to know how college life truly was ("is it  _really_ like partying all the time?!") and about Josh's experiences thus far. Josh in turn had been curious to know about their college plans and which schools they were planning to apply. Most of them were planning to stay in-state for college and had applied to local, well-known state schools. So, they were all impressed with Josh for not only gaining acceptance to college a year early, but for also venturing off to the big, exciting world of New York City.

Josh couldn't help but think about Anna a few times during that break. He never ran into her during his brief time back, and his friends were careful not to mention her- which he appreciated. But that didn't mean that he didn't sense her presence practically everywhere he went in their small town. "Time heals all wounds" as the old adage goes, but the scars inevitably remain.  _His_  scars were the palpable guilt, regret and sadness he still felt whenever the thought of her crossed his mind, or he found himself in settings where they had spent time together (and there were many of those in Cedar Heights), or he thought about the "What-ifs":  _What if he had never dated her and insisted on them staying friends? What if he had been completely honest with her about his feelings and thoughts on their relationship a lot earlier? What if he had broken things off before he ultimately ended up breaking her heart?_ These questions had haunted him the most during his Junior year- his last and most difficult year at John Adams. It was the year he was forced to finally accept that he had lost his best friend and there would be no magical reconciliation (like in the movies).

Anna ceased all communication with him right after their break-up in February of their Sophomore year. But deep down, he had hoped that perhaps in time (maybe during or right after the summer break between their Sophomore and Junior year of high school), they would be able to reconcile and perhaps salvage their friendship. When their summer break ended and they returned to school for their Junior year, he kept his hopes alive. But the cruel sting of reality quickly set in on their first day back when he had an extremely awkward (and embarrassing) encounter with her.

On his way through the hallway to their next class, he spotted her standing by her locker - alone. Although he was extremely nervous, he mustered the courage to approach her thinking he was just going to say hi and  _maybe_ ask her how her summer went if her body language seemed welcoming enough.

"Um, hey Anna," He muttered awkwardly as soon as he was within earshot of her. Josh will never forget the look in her eyes when she turned around at the sound of his greeting. It was a mixture of surprise (perhaps that he dared to approach her), pain, and anger. There was an intense moment between them when he found himself withering underneath her fierce gaze. Without words, she communicated everything that she wanted to say to him in that moment, and Josh understood every word of it. After what seemed like ages, but was probably just a few seconds, she broke off her gaze and quickly walked away from him, leaving Josh frozen on the spot and looking utterly pale, lost, embarrassed and helpless. Cory's words of advice to him about facing the consequences of his actions no matter how difficult or uncomfortable they might be popped up in his head. He sighed heavily as he tried to ignore the curious and pitiful looks (and whispers) of his fellow classmates who had witnessed the uncomfortable scene. It was going to be a  _long_ school year filled with the harsh ramifications of the careless way he had handled his first serious relationship. And the worst part was, there was absolutely no solution that his perfectionist mind could conjure to fix a broken friendship and a broken heart.

* * *

About a week after Anna's love confession at his surprise sixteenth birthday party on Valentine's Day, Josh made the two-hour drive from Philly to Cory and Topanga's apartment in New York City by himself for the first time. He was desperate. Anna had started avoiding him ever since her confession. His relationship was on the rocks and he had no idea what to do. Josh needed to open up to someone about everything he was going through, and Cory was the only person he felt comfortable approaching. He also needed to get out of Cedar Heights, even if it was just for the weekend.

" _I screwed up, Cor," He muttered solemnly as he buried his face in his hands and massaged his temples frustratingly. He and Cory were conversing in the guest room where Josh would be staying for the weekend. Josh was seated on the bed with his back against the wall, while Cory sat on the desk chair and patiently listened to his younger brother, who in many ways, was almost like a son to him._

" _I agree. You certainly screwed up big time, kid," Cory said as he shook his head sadly. "You're in a bit of a bind here, Josh," He told him after reflecting for a moment on Josh's situation. "And unfortunately, there are no easy answers. But that doesn't mean that you still can't do the right thing. And the right thing when it comes to any relationship- I've come to learn over the years- is taking responsibility for your mistakes, facing them head on, accepting the consequences for your actions no matter how difficult or uncomfortable they might be, and doing your best to make amends. It sounds to me like you need to sit down with Anna and have the same conversation that you just had with me. It's time for you to be open with her, Josh- and honest. Your problem is, you weren't completely honest with her about the nature of your feelings from the very beginning- and that's what's led you into this mess. If you don't see yourself falling in love with this girl any time soon, now is the time to tell her that. Don't beat about the bush or lead her on anymore. I know you don't want to hurt her but it's kinda too late for that- dontcha think?"_

_Josh nodded._

" _One of the most essential things in any relationship is communication," Cory continued. "But it can also be the most difficult, especially at your age. I get it. You barely know what the hell you're feeling for someone, let alone, how to communicate it, so I understand that. But that's why when you're younger- you have to take things slow in a relationship, you don't rush into anything, and you try to communicate more. Now, you're probably thinking, especially once the hormones get stirred up, 'easier said than done,' right?"_

_Josh smiled, as he nodded again._

" _I agree," Cory responded. "That's why you gotta be disciplined, kid. Especially, when it comes to matters of the heart. Now that's hard to do obviously, but if you want less heartaches and headaches in life, you do your best to discipline yourself...and you pray to God and ask Him to also help you. I think you will probably agree with me- because I know this has probably crossed your mind- that if you hadn't 'done the deed' with Anna, then perhaps all of this might hurt a little less for you, and especially, for her, right?"_

_Josh thought for a moment and slowly nodded, as Cory sighed again._

" _Now, here's the thing about sex, Josh, that you're probably not going to learn from the movies or from your friends. It's REALLY important- and it's NOT to be taken lightly. Trust me. If you listen to nothing else that I've told you so far, you've gotta listen to this as you move forward with your life. Do not take sex lightly. It's a very intimate act that should never be rushed into. There's a reason why the Christian faith tradition teaches that you should save it for marriage. Now I'm not saying that that's what you should do, but what I AM saying is that unless you're 99.9% sure that the girl that you're ready to have sex with is the one that you are in love with, you envision marrying someday and having a future together with- including children because no matter how much protection you use, they're not a hundred percent effective- do NOT do it. Why? Because things can easily backfire, and hearts get broken. What the sexual act does - whether you realize it or not as you're doing it- is bond you together with your sexual partner in a very powerful way. You two are basically promising yourselves to each other. Now imagine what happens when after the act, one partner realizes that the other doesn't quite feel the same way. The promise is essentially broken, and the other partner will inevitably feel 'used' and hurt. You see the problem?"_

" _Crap," Josh muttered as he buried his face in his hands again and hung his head low. Cory immediately got up from his chair and went to sit next to him on the bed. He put his arm comfortingly around him and patted him gently on the back. "I'm so sorry Josh," He told him softly. "It sucks when you have to learn these things the hard way. God knows that you're having a terrible week- and I'm sorry about that."_

" _She is my best friend, Cor," Josh choked out, as tears quickly filled his eyes. "Or maybe, what I should say now is, she WAS my best friend...because, there's no way she's still gonna wanna be friends with me after all this," He took in a deep breath as a tear rolled down his cheek. "God, I never meant to hurt her like this, you know..." He muttered as he wiped his tears away. "I guess I always thought that maybe my feelings would get stronger over time...I dunno," He said as he brushed his hand furiously through his hair._

" _You gotta tell her the truth, Josh," Cory urged him. "No beating about the bush, no sugar coating- nothing but the truth, from your heart, about how you feel about her now- almost a year into your relationship- and how you're kinda sure that you're gonna feel about her in the near future. You need to respect her enough to at the very least let her know what's going on in your head AND in your heart. Honesty goes a LONG way in any relationship. Without it, what you end up being is a jerk, an idiot and an asshole cos you couldn't be honest with your partner. You see what I mean?"_

" _Yeah," Josh nodded._

" _Now, this is obviously going to be a very difficult conversation," Cory told him. "But it's one that you simply can't avoid. And the sooner it happens, the better. Ideally, once you start the conversation, you guys can decide as to where you want the relationship to go. But, if you truly care about her like you say you do, then you wouldn't keep postponing this convo, kid. Because I bet you a thousand dollars that she's spent this week driving herself crazy- just like you have- but probably even more."_

_Josh took in another deep breath and leaned his head against the bedroom wall. "This really sucks, Cor," He whispered._

_Cory laughed. "I know, my brotha," He agreed as he also mimicked his younger brother's posture and leaned his head against the wall. "I know," He repeated. "But it gets better- at least for your future relationships- if you learn from the mistakes you are making now. Life's a learning process cos after all, NONE of us are perfect. Know what I mean?"_

_Josh nodded._

" _Yeah- so make sure you learn from this, so that your next relationship will be a lot better," Cory advised him._

" _Uh-uh. I'm done," Josh muttered bitterly as he shook his head forcefully. "No more relationships for me. I clearly suck at them. From now on, it's just gonna be me, my Playstation, my books, and my tree-house."_

_Cory laughed. "No cats?" He asked Josh in amusement._

" _Nah, no cats," Josh responded with an amused smile. "Way too cliche. Maybe, a hamster. Just cos I still miss Skirtles. It might be time to fill that hole in my heart."_

" _Josh, Skirtles died when you were like 7," Cory observed. "Ya need to get over him."_

" _Never!" Josh retorted playfully. "There's not a day that goes by that I don't think about him and his wheelin' ways. You know, I still have his cage and his wheel stored up in my tree-house...rest in peace Skirtles," He muttered wistfully as he pretended to wipe an invisible tear._

_Cory chuckled as he stared at him fondly. "Come here. Huggy time," He told Josh as he spread his arms wide and gave him a big grin. Josh rolled his eyes, but still went in for the hug. He needed it._

_Cory patted him gently on his back for a few seconds before loosening the embrace. "I love you, my brotha," He told him fondly. Josh couldn't help but smile widely in response. "I love you too, Cor," He replied. "And thanks for everything. I've been feeling terrible all week, and this is the first time that I'm feeling a lil better. I mean, I still feel like crap, but also a lil better. Weird, huh?"_

_Cory chuckled. "You're gonna be fine, kid," He reassured him. "The fact that you feel terrible and remorseful is a good sign. It shows that you're still a good person who just went down the wrong path- and not an asshole. Apologize, face the consequences, learn from your mistakes, make amends, say a little prayer and aim to do better next time...God knows I made my fair share of mistakes with Topanga."_

" _Seriously? Even though she was like the 'one' for you?" Josh asked, looking surprised._

" _Yeah," Cory responded. "I aint perfect, Josh. And just cos you're convinced that you've found the 'one' doesn't mean everything's just gonna be peachy. But that's a topic for another day. Right now- I'm hungry. It's dinnertime. And I know a little curly-haired toddler who is back from daycare now and will go crazy once he sees ya."_

" _Auggie!" Josh exclaimed happily as Cory laughed._

" _Wait, where's Riley though? I haven't seen her yet," Josh asked curiously._

" _Oh, yeah, you probably won't get to see her this weekend if you're still planning to leave early on Sunday," Cory explained. "She's spending the weekend at Maya's with Katy, Maya's Mom. You know, Maya spends so much time here cos Katy is busy working. So, Katy took off this weekend so she could spend some time with Maya. Except, as you probably know, the two girls are inseparable, so Maya insisted that Riley join in on the fun too. So, it's a long weekend sleepover for Riley. They were both very excited. It's practically ALL they could talk about...the whole week," Cory shook his head in amusement, as Josh chuckled._

" _How is Maya?" He asked, curious. "Haven't seen her in years."_

" _Well, she's all grown up," Cory responded, as he shook his head in amusement. "You wouldn't recognize her. They're all growing up too fast," He sighed. "But she's good. Feisty...confident...a little rebellious but that makes sense considering everything she's dealt with- and is still dealing with…"_

" _Her dad situation?" Josh asked, remembering that key detail._

" _Yeah," Cory nodded. "Wait, how did you know? I don't think we've ever mentioned that."_

" _Maya told me- a LONG time ago. Like when we were kids."_

" _Really?" Cory asked, surprised._

" _Yeah," Josh nodded. "It was one of the couple times you brought her to Philly- I think the second time. She used to follow me around when Riley was too tired to play with her and would be napping. She will want to play all my games- so that was cool. I was always amazed at how energetic she was- it's like she never got tired- a freakin' energizer bunny."_

_Cory burst out laughing at that description. Josh grinned as he thought fondly of the little blonde girl with the mischievous grin and fierce blue eyes. "And she was super curious," He continued. "She will ask me a million questions about everything in the house, outside of the house- I mean she was just mesmerized- new world for her, I guess. Anyways, it was probably one of those conversations- in my tree-house I think- that I asked her about her family- and she just told me- everything." Josh paused as he tried to pinpoint the exact memory. "I was young, but I still remember the sadness in her eyes as he spoke of her dad. Like you could tell she was trying to make it not a big deal, but her eyes told a different story…" Josh sighed. "I felt really bad for her- and I knew better than to keep asking her more questions. So, I changed the topic- and that was that."_

" _Wow," Cory responded. "I never realized you guys got so close back then."_

_Josh shrugged. "I never minded her following me around cos she was like another playmate who wanted to do everything I wanted to do - even though she was a girl. I loved tickling her and making her laugh- she would laugh SO hard- I remember that," Josh chuckled softly as he thought of the memory. "And I liked showing her around. I felt like a tour guide. It was awesome," He grinned as Cory laughed._

" _I bet it was, kid," Cory said with a warm smile, as he glanced at his watch and stretched. "Alright my brotha, let's go fill you up. You're a growing 16-year-old. Ya need your food."_

_Josh chuckled as he got off the bed and followed his brother out of the guest room._

* * *

He and Anna broke up the following Monday when he went back to school. It was one of the most difficult moments of his young life thus far and would be forever seared in his memory. He remembered the weather that day- a muggy grey sky with dark, menacing clouds, and a hint of rain in the air. It was the perfect reflection of his turbulent emotions throughout the day.

He remembered walking with her after school towards the bleachers of the large football stadium. It was a big enough space that he knew they would get their privacy. He remembered the profound silence between them as they walked. Neither of them said a word. They communicated with each other through their silence. Deep down, they both foresaw the inevitable train wreck ahead and, in the silence, they were each making a quiet effort to brace themselves for the impact.

He remembered apologizing to her profusely with tears in his eyes as he told her  _everything_ \- his feelings for her when they started dating...the imbalance that he always felt between the intensity of his feelings for her, and hers for him...the guilt and discomfort that had always weighed on him whenever he thought about that imbalance...the regret that he would forever have that he allowed her to lose her virginity to him (and his to her) when he knew that he wasn't emotionally and mentally ready to take responsibility for such a significant act and to offer her the love that such an act demanded. When Anna broke down in tears at this part of his confession, he felt a sharp pain in his heart like someone had grabbed a knife and stabbed it. It was the first time he had heard her cry like that, and it absolutely crushed him knowing that he was the one who had caused her such pain. Instinctively, with tears rolling down his eyes, he moved to comfort her, but the harsh reality of their current situation hit him like a slap in the face when she jerked away from his touch and physically distanced herself from him.

"Did you use me, Josh? Throughout this whole relationship- were you just using me, so you could  _score_? Tell the boys that you got some?" She asked him softly after a long, painful moment of silence between them.

" _My God_ , Anna,  _no. Of course not,_ " Josh responded passionately. "I would  _never_ treat you or think of you that way- not in a million years. I  _care_ about you- a lot. And I have feelings for you. They may not be as strong as what you have for me, but they're there.  _And,_  I also consider you my  _best friend_. This relationship was as real to me as it was to you. It wasn't a game for me." He sighed as he thought of his next words, "I know I've screwed up in many ways, and hurt you a lot by not being completely honest with you, but there was  _never_ a moment where I thought of you as- as- an object to be used. There was  _never_ a moment where I was unfaithful to you. I wouldn't do that to  _any_ girl, let alone to  _you._ That's just not who I am. I really hope you understand that."

Anna sat quietly, staring down at the bleacher floor and looking deep in thought after Josh finished speaking. After a few minutes of silence, she spoke again.

"It's my fault too…" She mumbled almost as if to herself as she kept her gaze fixed on the floor and away from Josh. "I loved you so much and I guess I wanted to believe - even though you never said it- that you felt the same way or will  _eventually_  feel the same way. Deep down, I knew that something was wrong, but I ignored it. I didn't want to be disappointed... I didn't want to lose you…so I preferred to keep living in my own make-believe world where we both felt the same way..." Her voice trailed off as she wiped away her tears.

Josh felt the sharp pain in his heart again. He wanted nothing more in that moment than to wrap her in his arms like he had done so many times in the past and take her pain away. But he couldn't do that anymore. And that was just another consequence that he would have to endure.

"I'm so sorry Anna," He muttered as tears quickly filled his eyes again. "I was an idiot...lemme correct that, I  _am_ an idiot. And I hurt my best friend, and my first  _real_ girlfriend...the first girl to ever truly love me. I'm going to have to live with that regret for the rest of my life…" His voice trailed off. There wasn't much more he could say beyond that.

There was another poignant moment of silence between them as they each recoiled into their private worlds and braced themselves for the impending collision.

"Goodbye Josh," Anna finally said the dreaded words. Josh felt his stomach drop and his heart sink. He was going to say something in response but before he could let the words out, Anna got up, quickly descended the bleachers and started running far away from the boy who had caused her so much pain. She didn't communicate with Josh again for two years - even though for the first year (their Junior year and Josh's last year), they still had to see each other everyday in school - until roughly a month ago on Valentine's Day when she texted him on his 18th birthday.

* * *

"Hey, Josh?"

Josh lifted his gaze from his phone as soon as he heard his name. He found himself gazing into familiar grey eyes and couldn't help the wide smile that appeared on his face at the sight of her.

The whole situation felt surreal. He ended up pinching himself a little bit just to convince himself that this reunion was  _actually_ happening. He had long given up hope of her ever wanting to see or speak to him again, so much so that he hadn't been sure if  _he_ wanted to see her (or was ready to) when she  _did_  finally reach out to him. But he needed to move on, and he had also missed her- a lot. If anything, he felt strongly that this meetup would provide the necessary closure that they both needed after two years of silence. He would have been an idiot not to seize the opportunity.

" _Wow_.  _Anna Winthrop_  in the flesh. You know, I still can't believe that this is happening. Like I keep thinking that it's just a crazy dream I'm having because of too much caffeine and I'm gonna wake up in my dorm at NYU any moment now," He told her as he quickly got up from his booth and stood in front of her. Anna laughed and shook her head amusedly.

" _Nope._ This is all real. Here I am!" She said brightly with a wide grin. She was wearing a red, double-breasted peacoat which accentuated her flushed rosy cheeks along with a white pompom beanie which crowned her long, cascading brunette hair and oval-shaped face. She looked beautiful, as always. And more importantly, Josh noticed, she also looked  _happier_ and a lot more _relaxed_.

They were both perfectionists and were always stressed in high school because of the various activities they were involved in, along with their need to attain the highest academic grades. While they were great at motivating each other to accomplish their numerous tasks, Josh recalled that they were never the best at helping each other relax and balancing each other out-  _especially_ when they were both equally stressed and anxious. So, during high-stress situations, like exam week, they came up with a strategy where they would help each other study but would avoid each other when they needed a break from studying. Otherwise, they would just keep stressing each other out more. When the exam period was over, they would get together again and celebrate- usually at  _Chubbie's._

Josh was glad to see her much more relaxed demeanor now. He could only guess that it was because she was finally in her last year of high school and had already submitted her college applications. Hence, there was no need for her to stress out too much anymore.

"Can I get a hug?" Josh asked her softly as he spread his arms out wide. "Sure," Anna beamed as she walked into his arms and embraced him. They held on to each other for a few seconds before slowly disengaging and giving each other a wide, fond smile.

"Did you get taller?" Josh asked her curiously as he studied her. Anna chuckled. "I don't think so," She responded. "Maybe my boots?" She pointed to her black heel boots. It was Josh's turn to chuckle. "Yeah, that's it," He replied with an amused grin.

" _You_ got taller though," Anna pointed out. "We used to be almost eye-level. Now, not so much. Even with my fancy boots." Josh burst out laughing.

"Yeah, well- all my salads and burgers- helped me a lot over the years," He retorted.

Anna grinned. "I see you're still a big fan of eating all your veggies?" She observed.

" _Hell yeah_. They're good for ya! Can't go wrong! I hope you're eating yours with every meal, Ms. Winthrop. Then maybe you won't need those boots to catch up to me anymore," He teased her. Anna giggled amusedly for a few seconds as she shook her head fondly at him.

"Still the same ole Joshua Matthews," She muttered. "Good to know all the glamour of college and New York City hasn't gotten to your head and changed you for the worse." This made Josh laugh.

"Nope. Not yet at least," He said. "For now, I'm still the same. A simple boy from Cedar Heights, Philly with a dream. That's all," He smiled innocently.

Anna chuckled and nodded her head in approval.

"Shall we sit?" Josh offered as he pointed to their booth.

"Sure," Anna said as they both sat down across from each other.

"As mentioned in my text, your smoothie has been waiting very patiently," He pointed to a large plastic cup filled with a thick, brownish substance.

Anna smiled as she grabbed the smoothie. "Thanks, Josh. You didn't have to," She told him.

"No worries. You do still like that flavor, right?" He asked her.

"Lemme see," She said as she sipped it through a plastic straw. "Yep. Banana, Greek yogurt and granola- still my favorite. Good job," She commended him.

"Ok great," Josh said, relieved. "Cos that woulda been $3.50 down the drain if you hated it. Lotta money, you know. Difficult times we live in."

Anna laughed. "No. I still like it. And lemme guess- strawberry, banana for you?" She pointed to his half-empty, red, pinkish smoothie.

"Yep. Ya know it," He grinned amusedly as he took off his red  _Phillies_ cap and lightly brushed his hand through his hair.

"You know, it's funny," Anna said in a reflective tone. "It feels like it's been so long since we were here together, but it also feels like it was just yesterday. I mean,  _we're_ still pretty much the same- except the circumstances have changed, obviously."

"Yeah, I know what you mean," Josh nodded. "Two years is a long time, but it's also not a long time. As crazy as this is, what would have been insane is if we were doing this after like ten years of no contact or something. By then, we would  _really_  be different people in some ways, and the circumstances would be drastically different."

"Yep," Anna agreed as she sipped some more of her smoothie.

"So, why  _did_ you reach out, Anna?" Josh asked the one question that had been burning in his mind since he received her first text message. "I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm really glad you did- as you can tell by my presence here- but yeah, I'm super curious as to  _why_ \- after all this time. I know it wasn't just to talk about college. If that were the case, you woulda reached out to me last Fall when you were  _actually_  applying. And it wasn't just cos it was my birthday. Those were all excuses. Am I wrong?" He gave her a probing look.

Anna shook her head in amazement as she grinned widely at him. "You still have that thing," She said, "where you can just see into people and sense what's really going on inside. Or what they're trying to hide. It's like this sixth sense that you have. I've always been really impressed by it, and a bit creeped out."

Josh chuckled in amusement as he thought about her comment. "I dunno...I guess it's a gift," He said, "or maybe, I'm just super observant when it comes to people-especially, those that I care about," He added as he thought about Maya, Riley and Lucas' "love" triangle that he had helped resolve back in January at the ski lodge after his conversation with each one of them. Or how he had helped Andrew the previous year to see that he really liked Jasmine (and that she also felt the same) and convinced him to stop fooling around with other girls and to finally ask her out on a date. One date quickly turned into more dates and before he knew it, his two college best friends had officially become boyfriend and girlfriend, which made him really happy.

"Anyway," Anna continued, "to answer your question- I guess I just felt ready at this point in my life - almost done with high school and ready to go off to college and become an 'adult'- to go back to a difficult moment in my past, and to fully face it and make peace with it. You know what I mean?"

"Yeah," Josh nodded, "I know exactly what you mean."

"I wanna apologize, Josh, for shutting you out these past couple years," She told him. "I know you tried to reach out a few times- especially in the first year. I know you were beating yourself up with guilt...I remember that one time when you approached me by my locker to say hi and I just walked away from you...I feel really bad about that. That was mean, and petty. So, here's my apology two years later," She smiled ruefully at him.

Josh chuckled in amusement as he recalled the scene. " _Ye-ahh_ , that was really mean and I was extremely embarrassed...but I also totally deserved it. So there ya go. I accept your apology though. Thanks," He smiled at her. "But you really don't own me any apologies- Anna. Certainly not for shutting me out. I mean, I really hurt you. It makes sense that you would want nothing to do with me. You were certainly under no obligation to speak to me, or to still be my friend ever again. So, absolutely no need to apologize."

"I know," She responded, "but I still want to. I feel like in a lot of ways I put the blame entirely on you for our breakup. Like I never really took responsibility for my own actions. All my bitterness, all my anger- they were all directed towards-  _you._ And that just wasn't healthy for me- at all. I couldn't go on living like that. I  _didn't_ want to go on living like that. I started praying a lot about everything that I was going through because I was almost about to mentally break down at some point last year...and that's when I realized that if I wanted to heal and to  _finally_ move on, what I needed to do was to  _forgive and to let go._ I needed to finally forgive you, I needed to forgive myself and I needed to let God forgive  _me_ for the things I messed up on…"

She paused as she took another sip of her smoothie before continuing. "It was hard at first to do all this forgiving as you can imagine. But God helped me through it. The prayers helped a lot. Along with people I trusted and whom I could talk to about everything I was going through. Eventually, I got to the point where I felt like I was in a good place and that I had finally been able to let go of all the negative emotions inside me, and also, forgiven you. But then I had to actually  _prove_  it to myself- and the only way to do it was to reach out to you and to tell you those words…" Her voice trailed off as she took a deep breath and made eye contact with him.

"Long story short, here's why I reached out to you, Josh," She told him in a gentle, tear-filled voice. "I wanted to tell you that I forgive you for everything that happened between us. I hold no anger or bitterness towards you. I wish for nothing but your happiness and your future success as you move forward with your life and I hope that you can forgive me too for any hurt that I've caused you over the years. So, that's all," She concluded as she wiped away the tears in her eyes.

Josh's eyes were tearing up too as he gazed fondly at her and allowed her words to gently wash over him and finally carry away his two-year long burden of guilt and regret. He was  _finally_ free. And it was a great feeling.

"Thanks Anna, for forgiving me," He said softly. "You have no idea what those words mean to me…" He paused and attempted to blink back his tears before continuing his train of thought. "I've thought about you and prayed for you these past couple years. Mainly, that you will be happy. I never once even dared to pray for forgiveness because I knew that I didn't deserve it. I screwed up and like I told you when we broke up, it was just something that I was going to have to live with for the rest of my life...But then you texted me that day and I'm not gonna lie to you-once I got over my surprise and uneasiness because I was trying to figure out why you would reach out all of a sudden- there was a part of me that just felt  _relieved._ Because it hit me like a ton of bricks that maybe, you had forgiven me. Because there's no way in hell you would have bothered to send that message if you hadn't. And even though I knew I didn't deserve it, I couldn't help but feel relieved...and happy. So, thank you- again- for this. For being here," He smiled warmly at her.

"Before you ran away from the bleachers two years ago when we broke up, there's something that I was going to say to you, but never got the chance to say. It's two years late now, but better late than never, right?" He paused for a moment before speaking. "I wanted to tell you that you have a beautiful heart, Anna. And my hope is that you find someone  _deserving_ who can truly appreciate you. No more idiots like me- God forbid," He grinned at her, as Anna chuckled softly in amusement.

"Amen to that!" She responded cheerfully. Josh burst out laughing.

"Yeah, I'm not rushing into anything like  _that_  right now," She told him sincerely. "My only focus now is taking care of myself and getting into college. That's pretty much it."

"That's great," Josh retorted. "Speaking of college though, any reason why you decided to follow me to New York City? Ain't you being a lil bit of a stalker, Ms. Winthrop?"

Anna burst out laughing. "Ok, first all, I didn't  _only_ apply to New York schools. I applied to like ten schools and they're all over the place. So,  _not_  a fair accusation, Matthews. And secondly, I lived in New York City before moving with my family to Cedar Heights, remember? So, New York City was home for like four years of my childhood.  _So, there_! It ain't all about you, Josh." She shook her head teasingly at him.

"Ok, fine. I take back my insinuation of your stalkerish ways," Josh replied with a teasing grin. "So, what's your first choice for college?"

"Well, at this point- probably Columbia. It's the only Ivy League on my list…"

"You'll get in. I have no doubt." Josh replied confidently.

"I dunno…" Anna muttered.

"You're a  _lot smarter_ than me, Anna. Trust me, you will get into every college you applied to  _including_ Columbia," Josh reassured her.

"We'll see- pretty soon," She said.

"Cool," Josh replied. "Lemme know once you hear from them. What about NYU? I know you're gonna get in, but have you heard from them yet?"

"Not yet," She responded. "Pretty soon, though."

Josh nodded, smiling. "It's a good school. A bit hard to make friends because there's like no central campus- it's kind of spread all over the place and there are a lot of students. But once you find your group of friends- it's not too bad. And the academics are great, obviously. You still planning to study Engineering?"

"Yeah," Anna responded.

"Ok," Josh replied. "Yeah, whatever happens- please keep me posted. I'm happy to help in whatever way I can and answer all your questions. College can be rough. So, I'll be more than happy to help you with that transition."

"Thanks Josh," Anna said. "Really appreciate it."

"Of course. What are friends for? Oh wait, we  _are_  friends now, right?" He asked her nervously. "At least I hope so? I should have probably double-checked that before blurting it out. Sorry, I'm an idiot, like I said earlier. And now I'm also rambling. Stop me, please. I'm super nervous and I'm talking too much.  _Help_."

Anna burst out laughing so hard that some of the customers in the diner turned to look at her curiously. Josh bit his lip in extreme amusement as he watched her laugh. In that moment, he experienced a pleasant,  _deja vu_ , flashback moment of years past, when they would hang out in the diner and make each other laugh- sometimes, hysterically- just like this.

"You ok there?" Josh asked her amusedly after she started to calm down.

"Yeah, I'm good," She said as she cleared her throat loudly and drank some more of her smoothie. "And yes, I'd love to be friends again, Josh. At least if that's ok with you," She told him.

"That's one hundred percent ok with me," He said, smiling. "I really missed our friendship. I think I missed that the most these past two years."

"Yeah, me too," Anna replied. "Glad we're back at it again."

"Well then," He glanced at his watch. "I'm supposed to be meeting Kyle in like ten minutes to hang out and maybe grab an early dinner. You wanna join us?" He asked her.

"Sure," Anna responded. "I actually haven't said much to Kyle the past couple years except for a few awkward _'hi's_ and  _'how are you?'s_  here and there, so this is great. I can catch up with him as well."

"Boy, it's just a day of  _kumbayas_  for you with everyone you've ignored these past years, isn't it?" Josh teased her.

She chuckled. "Shut up," She said in response. Josh laughed and quickly sent a text message to his friend, Kyle, telling him that he was on his way to meet him with a "special guest."

"I can't wait to see Kyle's face when he sees us together," Josh told her as they exited the diner.

"He might have a heart attack," Anna said as Josh chuckled amusedly. "Yeah probably," He agreed.

"I'm going to start driving first, and you can just follow me in your car to the restaurant where we're meeting him," He suggested when they reached the parking lot.

"Ok cool," Anna replied as she jumped into her car and waited for him to move.

Josh stepped into  _Thelma_ and sparked the engine. He quickly set it in "drive mode" and started pulling out of the parking lot. Checking his rearview mirror to make sure Anna was following behind him, he started driving towards his destination with a wide, peaceful smile on his face. After a few minutes of quiet reflection on his eventful day thus far, he found himself saying a simple prayer,  _Thank you, God_ , before taking out his phone and sending a quick text to Maya:

**Josh** -  _Hey kiddo, haven't heard from you yet today. Happy Friday :) Hope school was good? Call me later? I'll be free after 10. Ttyl. Hope you're behaving ;)_

A few minutes later, he received a response which made his day even better:

**Maya-** _HA-HA! Ya miss me- SUCKA! Ttyl._


	16. Chapter 16

"Yo, stop keeping me in suspense, Bro," Andrew said as he squeezed a generous amount of ketchup onto his French fries and happily dunked them in his mouth. "You said your Spring break was cray cray and you wanted to tell me all about it? Spill it, man. What happened? Cos I don't see how anything _crazy or exciting_  could happen in that boring, small town of yours. You need to come to Detroit wi' me one of these days, man. That's where all the fun is at- the good  _and_ the bad if you know what I mean," He grinned slyly at Josh before devouring more of his fries.

Josh grinned and swallowed a forkful of his salad. They were having lunch at  _The Square_ on their first day of classes at NYU after their week-long Spring break.

"Don't judge a book by its cover, Drew," Josh responded. "Cedar Heights might be a small town but we have our fun times."

Andrew chuckled. "Lemme guess," He retorted. "If the high school football or baseball team wins against the rival school, ya all have a holiday and the whole town goes crazy? That kinda fun?" He teased Josh.

Josh shook his head at him in amusement before jumping into a passionate defense of his town. He was proud of where he came from and there was no way he was going to let Andrew get away with dismissing his home. "First of all, winning against the rival school  _is_ a big deal, no matter what town you live in or where you're from," He said. "And second of all, there's no feeling like your whole town having your back at every game you play. It makes you feel special, and it's like this special bond that you have with all your neighbors. With that being said, Cedar Heights is not  _that_ small. There are a few neighborhoods and they each have their own high school and sports teams. So you just need to stop being prejudiced against my hometown and shut up so you can actually learn something, City Boy."

Andrew rolled his eyes. "Whatever, man. Still can't beat Detroit- that's just a fact. Anyway, talk to me. What the hell happened in Smallville? I got like 30 minutes till my next class so make it fast." He took a huge bite of his burger as he waited for Josh to respond.

Josh gulped down the last of his water from his large stainless steel water bottle before launching into the story of his unexpected message from Anna on his birthday and his subsequent reunion with her during the Spring break.

"Yooo, I knew your love life was complicated but I didn't know it was  _this_  complicated," Andrew said as he shook his head in immense surprise. "This chick literally cut you off for  _two whole years_ after your breakup and then reached out to you out of the blue to tell you she's  _forgiven_ you?"

"Yep," Josh nodded as he chewed his last forkful of salad. "I mean she didn't come out right away and say that...her first text message just mentioned how she had applied to NYU and Columbia and she basically just wanted to hear about my college experiences- but obviously there was more to it. And the  _real reason_ came out when we finally met up."

"Dang, man. That  _is_  cray...but I'm happy for you though," Andrew responded. "Knowing you, you've probably been beating yourself up these past two years over something that happened in your  _Sophomore_ year."

"Well, yeah," Josh replied. "I have. I mean, I really hurt her and she meant a lot to me, so I couldn't help but feel guilty about it for a long time y'know…"

Andrew nodded in understanding. "So wait, after her, did you date anybody again?" He asked Josh curiously with his mouth half-full of a big piece of his cheeseburger.

"Nope," Josh responded. "Not in high school. I mean, for a while after that, I really wanted  _nothing_ to do with relationships. I figured I just really suck at them and should probably just avoid them forever- for the sake of the female race."

Andrew burst out laughing. "I feel you, Bro," He replied. "And I know a lotta girls would agree with ya. Probably some of the ones that I dated in high school for like a hot minute...Man, I was  _real_  immature back then...and  _selfish-_ you know what I mean?"

"Yep," Josh nodded as he pondered over his past. "I know what you mean."

"I mean, it ain't like I'm an angel now, but God knows I'm working my butt off to be a great boyfriend cos I  _really_ care about Jas, ya know?" Andrew admitted.

Josh smiled fondly at him. "Yeah, I know. And I also know you're doing a great job at it so far, cos if you weren't she woulda reported you to me by now."

Andrew laughed. "Wow- ya both have meetings about me?" He asked.

Josh grinned mischievously. "Let's just say there isn't a single moment in our convos that your name doesn't come up- one way or another. And usually, she'll update me on how you're doing as a boyfriend…"

"What the hell, man…" Andrew muttered as he shook his head disapprovingly at him. "I need to get me some less gossipy friends."

Josh burst out laughing. "Yeah, good luck with that, man," He responded teasingly.

Andrew started sipping his  _Sprite_ beverage as he drummed his fingers on the table with a reflective expression on his face.

"So, back to your love life Bro, cos it's a  _lot more_ interesting that mine...that's for sure," Andrew stated. "You haven't really dated here at NYU either, right?" He asked Josh.

"Nope," Josh replied. "I mean, I went on like a couple of dates last semester but they didn't really go anywhere."

"Right, I remember," Andrew responded. "So, you've basically been single since this ex-chick?"

"Yeah, pretty much," Josh agreed.

"And I have a feeling you woulda probably kept on that path for a while, except one blonde girl came in- like a wrecking ball- and turned your world upside down," Andrew observed with a grin.

Josh laughed as he shook his head in amusement. "I suppose you could put it that way," He said, grinning.

"I mean, Bro, for all intensive purposes, you and Blondie are basically a couple right now. You  _do_  realize that, right?"

Josh leaned back in his chair as he reflected on everything that had happened between him and Maya thus far.

"Yeah, I suppose," He said. "Or at the very least, we're  _getting_ there...and it's happening pretty fast," He brushed a hand slowly through his hair as he kept on reflecting on his interactions with Maya.

"Bro," Andrew stated with a serious expression on his face. "I realize you're kinda in deep right now so it's hard to see the reality from an outside perspective, so lemme be straight witcha. You guys  _are_ a couple- period. You're not just getting there- you  _are_ there. Ya both basically promised yourselves  _exclusively_  to each other with that whole long game spiel on your birthday, remember that?"

"Well, not necessarily. I mean I told her that I wasn't gonna date anyone until we make things official one day ( _if_ she still wants to when that day comes), but if she wants to date someone in the meantime, I'm not gonna stop her. That'll be her right to do that," Josh responded.

Andrew burst out laughing in immense amusement, while Josh looked at him utterly confused. He wasn't sure what was so funny about his comment.

"Yo, you killing me, Josh, seriously," Andrew muttered as he stared fondly at his friend. "Look, man, you're clearly a little inexperienced, kinda clueless and rusty in this whole relationship thing so I'ma be a good buddy and spell things out for you, even though I'm running late to class now," He glanced at the time on his phone.

"Dude, no. You should go to class- we can continue this later," Josh said.

"Nah, man. This is  _far_ more interesting," Andrew replied. "And I need to make things clear for ya  _now before_  you screw things up. As you know, I  _care_ about you and Blondie. I mean, I was  _there_ when this chick interrupted our little meetup with Jas and Charlotte like the freakin' terminator and poured her heart out to ya without giving a crap who was there to hear her. It was like, all she saw was you. So I'm kinda crazy invested in this whole thing working out between you two. You know what I'm saying?"

Josh nodded as he listened intently to his friend.

"I laughed when you mentioned Maya maybe wanting to date somebody else and how you're not gonna stop her if she does that because it's just hilarious to me how you're not seeing what I'm seeing. The girl's  _crazy_ about you, Josh. I mean I'm not sure why you haven't seen it yet- or maybe you have, but y'know, your head's in the clouds...I dunno. Anyway, yeah, Blondie's not dating  _anybody_ s'long as you're alive and you don't do something  _really_ stupid to hurt her. She practically  _sees_  you as her boyfriend. Not sure if you've noticed- but I know I have, and I've only spent like an hour with her- when we went to get you the beanie. She was  _so_ excited just to be getting you something- but in a very mature kind of way." Andrew paused for a moment to reflect on his encounter with Maya before continuing. "You know, I never got the sense from her like it was an over the top teenage crush. Like, she  _knew_ what she was doing. You clearly mean a lot to her and she wanted to do something simple for your birthday. And obviously, she knew you guys weren't dating so she wasn't going to go overboard with things. So she just figured you liked beanies and was happy to get one for you- and would  _not_ let me pay for it. We almost had a fight about it. That's when I knew, this girl's no joke, and she means  _business._ She aint no naive teenager, y'know what I'm saying?"

Josh chuckled amusedly. "Yeah, she told me the story," He said.

"She's one of a kind, Josh," Andrew stated. "And she's  _all_ yours."

Josh felt his heart racing as he sat almost in a stupor-like state and listened closely to Andrew. "You know - just as a joke- I asked her what the heck she saw in you to be so into you like this. I joked with her that you just weren't worth it. Too boring. I told her I knew a bunch of other college guys who were  _way_  hotter than you and who would suit her just fine- if an older guy was what she was looking for. At first, she laughed- so hard for like a full ten seconds or so."

Josh grinned widely as he pictured the scene.

"But then, she got all serious, after she calmed down- and you know what she told me?"

"What?" Josh asked, almost in a whisper.

"She said something like how ever since you guys were kids, she just knew that she could trust you. That she felt safe around you. She felt like she could be herself...and happy, even though you guys only saw each other a few times. And then, when she saw you later on, after so many years, she recognized that bond, that feeling from when you guys were kids...it was still there. And, also, she was super attracted to you physically, cos you know, hormones."

Josh grinned amusedly as he bit his lip and continued listening.

"She had this intense look in her eyes, man, when she was saying all this," Andrew continued. "Kinda like what she looked like last year when she was talking to you and listing  _all_ the ways that she knew you  _and_ liked you? Remember that?"

"Yeah of course," Josh nodded. She had given him that look many times since then-  _especially_  on his birthday the last month, and all the events that had transpired following that special Valentine's Day dinner at  _Topanga's_  to draw them even closer to each other  _and_ to their someday.

"But yeah," Andrew stated. "She was like, she  _knew_  one hundred percent that no other guy could replace that special bond that she felt she had witchu. Like, she could be physically attracted to another guy but she'll always know something's missing cos that bond wouldn't be there...because  _you_ were the one she knew as a kid, and  _you_ were the one in her life at that special moment, so- that was why she felt so strongly that you were the guy for her and that it's not just a crush like so many people think it is."

Josh's heart was pounding as he sat frozen, his eyes locked on Andrew and his ears attentive to his every word. Maya had  _not_  mentioned this particular part of her conversation with Andrew when she recounted the story to him back when he was walking her home after their meetup at  _Topanga's._ He was absolutely riveted and speechless as he now sat listening to Andrew's side of the story.

"I can tell from the pale look on your face that she didn't tell you any of this convo that we had," Andrew observed with an amused grin. Josh simply shook his head.

"Not surprised," Andrew retorted. "It was too much of a revelation for her to just blurt it out to you like that. Like I said, the girl's incredibly mature, Josh. Like that's kinda when my opinion of the seriousness of her feelings  _really_ changed. Cos once she mentioned that she  _could_ be attracted to other guys but that because of this other bond that you guys share from your past, she just values that a whole lot more than the instant physical attraction to another dude, I was like... _wow. Yeah, that aint a crush._ She sold me. I was all in and incredibly impressed. Anyway, that's when I became your biggest fan- you and Blondie. I mean, a girl like that, Bro, you don't let go. You don't just sit around, or mess around and watch her date somebody else…you know what I'm saying? You gonna regret it for the rest of your life. Cos, when the hell are you gonna find someone like that ever again?  _I_ was lucky that I met Jas  _now._ Cos God knows I've screwed around with a few girls- done stuff I aint proud of, you know?" Andrew took another sip of his  _Sprite_ before continuing his train of thought.

"Like I know you guys aint official yet, but to  _her_ , you practically are- from the way she was talking. She's one hundred percent committed to you- that much is obvious. The question is, what about  _you,_ man? Are  _you_ a hundred percent committed to her? That's what you need to figure out especially with this whole ex-girlfriend thing that you just told me about. I mean, does Maya even know about this chick? Have you told her?"

Josh sighed as he nervously scratched the back of his head. "She knows that I lost my virginity to her...that's about it. There wasn't enough time to tell her the rest of the story with our breakup and everything. I've been meaning to tell her…"

"Dude, you need to tell her  _everything_ asap," Andrew urged him. "Including what happened over the break. Cos, believe me, these things have a way of coming out at the  _worst possible time_ \- unless you tell her  _now._  Y'know what I'm sayin'? What's this ex chick's name anyway?"

"Anna," Josh responded.

"Ha, another four-letter first name... _interesting_ ," Andrew replied. Josh raised his eyebrows at him and gave him a questioning look.

"Nah- you know, just making an observation," Andrew said with a teasing grin. "Maya...Anna...both four letters  _and_ they rhyme...looks like you got a thing for pretty girls with names like that."

"Shut up, Drew," Josh retorted in an unamused, stern tone.

"Ok, you're right. Sorry. Not funny." Andrew immediately apologized before loudly clearing his throat and drinking more of his  _Sprite_.

"I'm gonna pick her up from school today...it's a surprise," Josh admitted with a faint smile on his face.

"Awww-  _so adorbs_ ," Andrew teased him in a high-pitched, girlish tone.

Josh blushed as he shook his head at his friend. " _Anyway,_ " He continued, "Maybe we can stop by the park, and I'll tell her everything then. Wadja think?"

"Sounds good to me," Andrew nodded. "Honesty is the best policy."

Josh brushed a hand through his hair as he let out a deep sigh.

"Thanks for telling me that story, Drew. About what she said to you." He said softly. "And to answer your question, I  _am_ one hundred percent all in and committed to her. That's why I promised her that I wasn't going to date anyone else while we're waiting to officially get together, you know what I mean?"

Andrew nodded. "That's certainly a very bold, serious promise, man. And one that you better keep cos you gonna crush her into pieces if you don't, you know what I'm saying?"

Josh nodded solemnly. "I know, man," He murmured as he let out a deep breath. "My biggest fear is hurting her in  _any_ way- and losing her in the process. She's been through  _so much_ …" His voice trailed off as he stared blankly at the table, seemingly lost in his thoughts. After a few seconds of silence, he started speaking again. "You know, it's funny...I kinda know what she means about that bond…"

"Aww, ya feel it too?" Andrew asked.

Josh nodded with a slight smile as his heart started racing again. "Yeah," He responded. "Except for me, it's kinda like this peace that I feel whenever I'm around her...like everything's going to be ok...like everything's  _just_ right...I dunno...does that make sense?"

Andrew nodded with a smile. "Yeah. Kinda like everything's fallen into place- just like it's  _supposed_ to be," He said.

"Yeah," Josh immediately agreed with his interpretation.

Andrew grinned. "Yep, I know the feeling," He said. "Look man, I think at this point, everything's that supposed to be said to you has been said. If Maya aint the right girl for you, I dunno know who is. It certainly aint your ex chick from the past- or maybe if it were, that ship has clearly sailed, that's for sure. By the way, did I hear you mention that she  _applied_ to NYU? Yo, does that mean she's coming  _here_ for college?"

"No, I don't think so," Josh responded. "She said her first choice is Columbia."

"That's  _still_ New York though," Andrew replied in an alarmed tone. "I mean Columbia aint that far from here by subway. Dude, have you thought about how you're gonna deal with this? You gonna be in contact with her?"

Josh thought about his question for a moment, as well as the conversation that he had had with Anna at  _Chubbie's._ A certain realization finally hit him- a  _lightbulb_ moment so to speak. He couldn't  _believe_  that he hadn't quite seen it until now…that it had taken his best friend sharing with him the truth of Maya's deepest feelings for him (even though he should have known because it's not like she was completely hiding the depth of her feelings from him) in order for him to finally see it…He felt a sinking feeling in his stomach.  _How could he be such an idiot? Yet again? Was he never going to learn?_

" _Holy crap,_ Drew- I need to make a phone call," He said as he grabbed his phone.

" _Woah-_ hold on, Dude. Who you calling?" Andrew asked, extremely alarmed at his friend's erratic behavior.

"Anna," Josh sighed as he searched for her name on his phone.

" _What the..._ Bro, why you need to call  _her_?" Andrew asked, shocked.

Josh sighed as he shook his head slowly. "I might have told her, towards the end of our conversation, that, uh, we could be friends…so, uh, yeah- I'm gonna have to call her and fix that..."

Andrew raised his eyebrows at him, his mouth agape with incredulity as he stared at Josh. "Dude,  _what the hell?_ You sure you weren't a playa back in the day? Cos you showing _all_  the signs, man. In what world do you try to be friends with your ex-girlfriend when you got this thing going on with Maya? Like what the hell were you smoking when you went to Smallville?"

"Cedar Heights," Josh found himself automatically correcting him.

"I don't  _care!_ " Andrew retorted sharply. "Answer my question."

Josh sighed as he attempted to explain himself. "I dunno, man. I wasn't thinking anything  _negative_ , you know? I think I was in a great mood, and I just got caught up in the moment- and the conversation just flowed naturally. So, I didn't _really_  think about the implications of my words or how Maya, for example, would see it once I tell her…" Josh shook his head slowly. "She- Anna- had just told me that she had forgiven me, and we both kinda shed a few tears- and it was just this really powerful, positive, emotional moment. And then...we started talking about colleges, and I told her that if she needed any help or advice, she could always reach out to me...and then I asked her if we were still friends, and she said yeah, and I agreed...and then, we hung out...with my other friend, Kyle...so yeah, that's what happened…" His voice trailed off as he stared at his phone in shame.

"Jesus take the wheel," Andrew muttered, shaking his head solemnly. "That's what my Momma would say when I would screw up as a kid, right before she would whip my ass. Looks to me like ya need an ass-beating from yo Momma  _and_ Jesus. Bet that would bring  _a whole lotta fun_  to Cedar Heights, dontcha think? Smallville's favorite boy getting an ass-whopping from his Momma and Jesus?"

Josh couldn't help chuckling as he pictured the ludicrous scene in his head.

"Ya think, I'm kidding. I'm not," Andrew said with an amused grin on his face. "You're a  _mess_ Joshua Matthews. I mean I thought I had my issues with girls but damn, man. Like, what the hell. It's like you smart when it comes to books, and you dumb when it comes to life."

"I think I got caught up in the nostalgia of it all," Josh attempted to explain again. "I mean here I was- finally rid of all my guilt- because this girl who used to be my  _best friend_ finally forgave me after two years- and - we were sitting in the same diner we used to hang out back in the day, in the same town and yeah, I mean, it was...it was all  _very nostalgic._ So, for a while, I guess I thought there was nothing wrong with turning back time...to the way it all used to be...you know what I mean?"

"Yeah I do. I also know you're  _incredibly stupid_ ," Andrew retorted harshly. "Nostalgia is a powerful feeling Josh, but what should be  _more powerful_ is what's between you and Blondie  _now_ \- in the  _present._ So I'm gonna ask you this- who wins here? Your nostalgic past with your Smallville ex-bestie, or Blondie? Cos ya can't have both, ya doofus."

"There's no choice there, Drew. Maya wins. She's  _always_  going to win," Josh stated confidently.

"Good answer! 10 points for Gryffindor!" Andrew teased him. Josh chuckled.

"Ok, so you gonna call ex-chick now and tell her, 'my bad, but we gotta go our separate ways now cos I got a girl'?" Andrew asked him.

"Yeah, pretty much," Josh muttered with another sigh.

"Good," Andrew replied. "I mean, ya can be acquaintances. I don't think Maya would mind that. You know, if you run into her, say hi or whatever. Ask her how she's doing. But ya can't be hanging out- or be chatting it up on the phone- that's just a no, no."

"I know," Josh responded as he stared at his phone and braced himself for the call...or text if she didn't respond.

"Dude, I'm scared. You better make sure you don't hurt, Blondie. Jas and I are gonna have to keep our eyes on you 24/7 going forward. The stupidity is just too much, man," Andrew said as he grinned amusedly at him.

Josh sighed. "I'm scared too," He murmured.

"Just don't be stupid, man. I mean, I know you don't have a lot of experience with relationships but I mean, at the very least, you can  _try_  not to be stupid. Ok?" Andrew told him in a condescending, but loving tone.

"Ok," Josh simply nodded. If it was any other situation, he would have fought back at Andrew's numerous insults, but in this particular situation, he knew that his friend was right- and so he humbly accepted them.

"Okie- dok. Make that call now, Smallville. I'ma sit  _right_ here and listen in just to make sure ya don't screw this one up too and 'mistakenly' ask her to marry you- you know, cos  _nostalgia_ ," Andrew said as he rolled his eyes at him.

Josh shook his head at Andrew but couldn't help but grin amusedly as he took a deep, bold breath and made the call.


	17. Chapter 17

_The Beatles'_ Spring anthem, _Here Comes the Sun_ , was on repeat and blaring in Josh's ears through his large, black _Beats_ headphones as he made the ten-minute walk from the _Chambers Street_ subway stop to _Abigail Adams High School._

Spring was his favorite season and listening to _Here Comes the Sun_ was his official way of welcoming it. He couldn't help but feel giddy once the days started getting longer, the weather warmer, and the trees greener. Spring meant Baseball and Soccer and finally being able to go for runs in the park instead of being stuck in the gym. Of course, he wasn't looking forward to the inevitable Spring allergies that he would soon be experiencing once the pollen count reached its highest level by mid to late Spring. But he had his trusty _Claritin_ pills ready to take care of the tell-tale symptoms that usually accompanied his seasonal allergies- itchy red eyes, a dry throat and a runny nose- so he wasn't too worried.

As he approached _Abigail Adams_ , he felt a familiar quickening of his heart rate, the slight sensation of butterflies in his stomach and a palpable giddiness and excitement which had nothing to do with the Spring season and everything to do with the one he had come for and was hoping to see in just a few minutes. Once he reached the set of cemented steps which led to the large, brown front gates of the school, he sat down on the bottom step, made himself comfortable and waited for her.

He glanced at the time on his watch- _4:50pm_. She would be done with Art Club in ten minutes and hopefully would soon be exiting the school. Maya had Art Club on Mondays and Wednesdays after school and he knew that she almost always attended because of her passion for art. This is what made him confident in just showing up on his free Monday afternoon (he usually had classes on Monday and Wednesday afternoons but one of his classes had been cancelled that Monday) to surprise her without bothering to confirm with Riley whether Maya would attend Art Club that day. Josh was certain she would be there, and he couldn't wait to see her.

He had missed her during his one-week break in Philly. But as he now sat waiting to see her with growing anticipation and watching as the minutes slowly ticked by, it dawned on him just _how much_ he had missed her. Despite their busy schedules, he had gotten used to seeing her in-person at least once a week because of his Math tutoring sessions with her every Tuesday afternoon. They had had four tutoring sessions thus far- all at _Topanga's_ \- and although Maya had goofed off during the first couple sessions, she had started taking them a bit more seriously after Josh threatened to cancel the rest of their sessions if she wasn't going to pay attention and learn her fractions. _Bet she's never going to do that homework..._ he thought to himself as he grinned in amusement. He had given her some "homework" to do over the Spring break so that she could keep learning during his absence. He highly doubted that she had even glanced at the homework sheet the entire week (or even knew where it was). Every time he asked her about it during their _Facetime_ conversations while he was in Philly, she would simply respond, " _What homework?"_ with a teasing grin and quickly change the topic before he had the chance to follow up.

They were almost always in contact now- if not in-person, then certainly via the phone. It had simply become the norm between them the past month since their meetup on Valentine's Day, so much so that it felt strange and noticeable if the two of them ever went through a whole day without reaching out to each other. He thought about Andrew's assertion that they were now essentially a couple- and weren't just "getting there." In other words, the "long game" was quickly becoming a very "short game." In a lot of ways, he knew that his friend was right. But he also sensed that despite how fast their relationship seemed to be progressing, they still had a long way to go- or, more accurately, _he_ had a long way to go in order to provide her with the quality relationship that he knew she deserved.

He thought about how he had so easily hung out with Anna after their reconciliation at _Chubbie's_ with no thought as to how Maya would feel about his renewed "friendship" with his ex-girlfriend. The uneasy fact was, he had been selfish in that moment. He had thought only about himself and catered to _his_ nostalgic feelings. It scared him (and made him feel ashamed) to think about how self-centered he still was when it came to his relationships. His selfishness and carelessness had already broken one girl's heart. He couldn't _believe_ that just a couple years later, he had come _so close_ to doing it yet again. Luckily, thanks to Andrew, he had realized his mistake just in time and rectified it before he ended up hurting Maya.

He was extremely grateful that Anna had handled the rather awkward phone conversation quite well. She told him that she completely understood where he was coming from, that she was happy for him that he had found someone he really cared about, and that she wished him all the best. "If I were in her shoes, I wouldn't want you being friends with your ex either, Josh," She reassured him. "So please don't feel bad about this- I _completely_ understand. If we ever run into each other in New York or Cedar Heights, I'll make sure to update you on my _super exciting_ life, ok?" They both laughed at that comment before Josh thanked her for being so gracious after everything he had put her through. "Forgiveness is forgiveness, Josh," She responded. "I wish you all the best. I really mean that. Will be praying for you Matthews. Make sure you become a big shot doctor and save a lot of old ladies, ok?" Josh found his eyes watering a bit at this comment since it immediately reminded him of Thelma. Smiling fondly, he thanked her for everything, and they subsequently said their goodbyes.

"You ok there? You look like you're about to cry," Andrew asked him curiously after he hung up the phone.

"Yeah, I'm ok," Josh responded with a wide smile. "It was a good convo. I feel like I've been given a fresh start…a clean slate. Just gotta make sure I don't mess it up again, you know?" He told Andrew with a long sigh.

Andrew nodded. "Like I said, try not to be stupid. You're pretty smart, man. I think you'll be able to figure that one out. Anyways, I'm gonna try and make it to my last 20 minutes of class so I can sign the attendance sheet and get some credit. And _you,_ loverboy, gotta get ready and go get your girl so you guys can talk things out. Good luck, Stupid." He patted Josh's head condescendingly with an amused grin before getting up to leave.

"Call me 'stupid' one more time, Drew, and we're gonna have to fight it out," Josh playfully threatened him.

"Oh _really_? You sure you know how to fight, Smallville?" Andrew asked him, extremely amused.

"Yes, _really,_ Detroit. I do, believe it or not," Josh answered him confidently.

"Well then, good to know, _Stupid_. That's right. I _said_ it! Meet me after school! I'll be in the back. I'ma _mess you up. Come at me Bro!_ Ok, I gotta go now. See ya! PEACE!" Andrew threw him the peace sign and a playful grin before quickly exiting the deli. Josh laughed in amusement as he shook his head at his friend's antics. He didn't know how he would have survived NYU without Andrew.

As he now sat in front of _Abigail Adams_ observing the pedestrians strolling on the sidewalk and the few students whizzing past him in their eagerness to leave school, Andrew's earlier comment came to mind: "You're a _mess,_ Joshua Matthews." Unfortunately, he couldn't help but agree with that statement. Although he had learned some major lessons from his relationship with Anna- the importance of sex, the need to never rush into a relationship without making sure that he and his partner were both on the same page, and the importance of honesty- he still had a lot of major flaws which he clearly needed to work on. The fact was he simply couldn't afford to _mess up_ this time like he had when he was a clueless 15/16-year-old in his first serious relationship. The stakes were a _lot_ higher now. Anna had been his best friend, but Maya was practically his _family._ Hurting _her_ like he had carelessly hurt Anna would _destroy_ him because of just _how much_ he cared about her. It would also destroy his relationship with his family which was _everything_ to him. He had a lot to lose if he messed up again, and that was his biggest fear.

" _Look man, I think at this point, everything that's supposed to be said to you has been said. If Maya aint the right girl for you, I dunno who is…"_ Andrew's words echoed in his mind. He thought about the last time he had seen Maya at _Abigail Adams._ It was back in January, towards the end of his Christmas break, when Topanga had invited him to help chaperone Cory's class' annual ski trip. He remembered walking into the classroom, excited and eager to introduce himself, only to be thrown off by the adorable sight of the girl he had been trying to get out of his head for the past year giggling uncontrollably and making playful monkey sounds the moment she saw him. Her long blonde hair had been braided into two long pigtails and she played with one of them idly as she asked him in a flirtatious voice, "So... you're my _chaperone?_ " Josh couldn't help but blush profusely as he nodded at her with a warm smile. She grinned at him, her gleaming blue eyes fixated on him and for a moment Josh stopped breathing as his heart raced wildly. That's when he knew he was in trouble and that no matter what happened, that ski trip would end up being a momentous experience for him. " _If Maya aint the right girl for you, I dunno who is…"_ He didn't know who that right girl would be either. What he _did_ know was that the little vivacious girl in pigtails who used to follow him around when they were kids and who had grown up to become a confident, beautiful and passionate young woman was _the only one_ in his head and in his heart. It had been like that for a while now- and he knew it wasn't going to change.

He had meant what he said when he told Andrew that Maya was _always_ going to win. It was a fact he had simply learned to accept when he succumbed to his feelings for her at the ski lodge. He also knew that Maya deserved his _best_. It was the least that he could give her. He couldn't afford to be a "mess" anymore. The exclusive long game promise and commitment he had made to her on his birthday meant that he had to _be better_ and _to do better_ for her _now_ , so that when "someday" finally came, he would be able to offer her his _absolute best_. _"Ya gotta help me out here,"_ He found himself whispering a prayer as he gazed at the clear, bluish sky. _"As you can see from recent events, I could use some serious help. Don't give up on me- and please, don't lemme screw things up."_

* * *

 _Hm, where is she?_ He thought as he glanced at the time. It was 5:20pm. He had assumed she would be out by latest 5:15. Was she still at Art Club? Perhaps she was still working on one of her art pieces? Or maybe she didn't attend Art Club that day… Perhaps he should have checked with Riley after all to make sure that Maya would be there. What if she had already left school before he even got there?

 _This wasn't your smartest plan, Matthews-_ he thought amusedly as he brushed a hand through his hair and sighed softly. He decided to wait a few more minutes before calling her and just asking where she was- which would of course ruin the surprise. Another option was to just go into the school and try to find her (that is if she was still there). But he decided against that idea because even if security let him inside at that late hour (which was highly unlikely), he was afraid he might end up missing her. By the time he found the Art room, she could have already left, and they might end up comically missing each other. If she was still inside the school, then the only way to guarantee their encounter is if he was outside when she came out.

He checked his time again- 5:27pm. He would wait until 5:30 and then give her a call if she still didn't show up. He was just about to grab the black _Canon_ camera that Shawn had gifted him for his birthday out of his brown Messenger bag and start taking some pictures when he heard peals of laughter emanating from inside the school. He grinned widely as he felt a jolt of excitement pierce his insides. It was _her._ He could recognize that laughter _anywhere._ He quickly stood up, removed his headphones from his ears and shoved them in his bag. Then he slung his bag over his shoulders as he turned to face the school gates and waited for her to emerge.

Just as he had suspected, the gates flung open a few seconds later and _there_ she was. Josh felt his heart skip a beat as his eyes surveyed her. She had her hair tied up in a messy bun and was wearing a black tank top with the words _NEW YORK CITY GIRL_ inscribed on it in large white letters. She completed her look with a loose faded denim blue jean jacket, skinny blue jeans, and a pair of chunky heel black leather boots. She was engaged in an animated conversation with a male companion as she walked.

After tearing his eyes away from Maya, Josh couldn't help but focus on her companion as the two exited the school with their gazes fixed on each other due to their conversation. The first thing Josh noticed was that the guy was _really_ good-looking. It was hard not to notice. He had a chiseled, round boyish face with light brown hair and a blinding, white smile. Josh raised his eyebrows in a mixture of slight shock and wariness as he studied the rest of this mysterious guy's features. He was a bit taller than Josh, and he was donned in a large maroon hoodie with dark, grey jeans.

When he and Maya reached the top of the steps with Josh standing right below them at the bottom, the pair stopped walking for a moment as Mr. Mystery Handsome Guy made another comment to Maya. Maya burst out laughing again before immediately responding. Josh felt an uncomfortable, heated sensation bubbling in his gut as he keenly observed their interaction. Particularly, he couldn't help but notice the way Mr. Mystery Handsome Guy (MHG) was looking at Maya as she spoke. Josh _recognized_ that look. He knew _exactly_ what it meant. It was the look that said, _"You're the only person in existence for me right now and I just wanna keep listening to your voice because I enjoy your company so much."_ _He_ had given Maya that look many times.

 _Who the hell is this guy?_ Josh thought to himself as he quickly rummaged through his memory to see if Maya had ever mentioned him. If she had, Josh had no memory of it. As far as he knew, her only male friends were Lucas, Zay and Farkle. So where did this guy come from?

They stood there chatting for another minute as Josh quietly observed them - his discomfort growing ever stronger. At one point, he thought about simply turning around and leaving since Maya hadn't even noticed him yet. But as soon as he had that thought, he heard Andrew's voice cry out loudly in his head: " _STUPID!"_ He chuckled softly to himself in amusement and decided to stick around.

After what seemed like ages for Josh but was probably just a couple of minutes, Maya and MHG started descending the steps. She was still speaking as she turned her gaze briefly away from MHG and towards the steps below so that she could orient herself. That is when she made eye-contact with Josh who was looking up at her from the bottom step with his hands shoved in his jacket pockets and a small smile playing on his lips. Gasping audibly, she stopped speaking mid-sentence and covered her eyes with her palm for a moment before slowly removing her hand and looking again. When she realized that he was _really_ there (and not a figment of her imagination), she gasped even more loudly and started giggling excitedly like a star-struck teenager who had just come face to face with her favorite celebrity.

Josh burst out laughing at her reaction. _Some things never change_ , he thought as he grinned affectionately at her. His feelings of discomfort had completely disappeared. He was now flooded with a deep sense of euphoria and peace as he gazed at her.

" _Oh my gosh! Boing!_ What are you doing here?!" Maya cried out as she scrambled down the steps and jumped into his arms. Josh chuckled in amusement as he embraced her tightly. He held her in his arms for a few seconds before slowly releasing her. They stood beaming at each other for a moment before Josh answered her question.

"I-uh- I was in the neighborhood and thought I should stop by and see how you're behaving...at school," He told her with a wide grin.

Maya raised a skeptical eyebrow at him. "At 5:35pm? You just _happened_ to be in the neighborhood and _knew_ I was here and decided to stop by? Not to mention, don't you have class around this time? And you _never_ cut class, unless you're dying. _Yeahh_ , your story aint adding up Boing," She told him as she shook her head gently at him. "If the cops are chasing you cos you got in some serious trouble in Philly, you better lemme know so I can hide you quick," She teased him.

Josh laughed at this comment as he stared at her fondly. " _Unbelievable. How_ did you figure it out? Ya got me!" He joked, making Maya grin widely in amusement. Josh bit his lip softly before he continued speaking. "Truth is, my class got cancelled today and uh- I had a whole afternoon to spare. So, I decided to stop by and see you. Figured we could hang out for a lil bit- maybe in the park- and then I'll walk you home? That is, if that's ok with you…" His voice trailed off as he scratched the back of his hair nervously.

Maya smiled warmly at him. "Of course, Boing," She said with a firm nod. "Missed me so much you couldn't wait till our annoying tutoring session tomorrow to see me right? I get it."

Josh chuckled. "Yeah, sum'in like that," He mumbled.

"You _should've_ told me you were coming though," Maya chided him as she punched his chest softly and playfully. "How long have you been waiting out here?"

"Not too long," Josh responded. "And I wanted to surprise ya- which turned out to be a _great_ idea considering your _epic_ reaction. I think my favorite part was when you covered and then uncovered your eyes to make sure it was really me? First time seeing that, and I've gotta say, it was _adorable_. It was like you were playing your own lil game of _Peek-a-Boo. Now you see him Maya! And now you don't! Oh, wait, now you see him again! HOW is this happening?! Oh my gosh!"_ Maya burst out laughing at his childish imitation of her. Josh laughed as well.

" _Darnit_. I _really_ need to record these moments," Josh observed once their laughter subsided. "I feel like I _always_ let you get away with making embarrassing recordings of me, but I never retaliate. _No bueno_. I gotta step up my blackmail game," He shook his head sadly.

"Well that's because I have a much better eye for embarrassing Boing moments than you do," Maya stated proudly. "I can see them coming a _mile_ away. But you're always kinda clueless."

Josh chuckled. "I suppose," He agreed.

" _Josh_ ," Maya said his name softly as she gazed at him with the intense look that he and Andrew had just discussed a few hours prior. "I didn't tell you this back when you were at Philly cos I was trying to act all tough, but I really missed you while you were gone. I'm glad you're back," She beamed at him. Josh flashed her a warm smile in response and then gently pulled her into his arms for another embrace. He held her tenderly for a few seconds before releasing her.

"Wanna guess what else I also missed?" Maya said as she closed the small gap between them and looked up expectantly at his lips with a mischievous smile.

Josh chuckled softly. He wanted to kiss her more than anything, but he couldn't help but notice Mysterious Handsome Guy still hanging around at the top of the steps and staring (or trying not to stare) awkwardly at their interaction. Josh did _not_ feel comfortable kissing Maya in front of him. He also found it fascinating that Maya hadn't mentioned him or attempted to introduce him yet.

"Um, before we do _this,"_ Josh pointed to her lips, "your friend is still up there waiting for ya," He gestured to where MHG was standing. "You wanna introduce us, maybe?" He suggested.

Maya gasped in shock and muttered softly under her breath to Josh, " _Holy crap! I totally forgot about him! Woww…am I a mess or what?"_ She groaned in embarrassment.

Josh grinned amusedly as he tried to process the situation. He couldn't believe that she had actually _forgotten_ about the guy…

"Oh my God, Ryan- I'm _so_ sorry!" Maya turned and called out to MHG. "Please join us?" She said as she waved him over.

Ryan quickly descended the steps and came to stand beside Maya with a small, awkward smile on his face as he glanced at Josh. Josh responded with his own small, awkward smile.

"I'm _so_ sorry, Ryan!" Maya apologized to him again. " _Really_ didn't mean to ditch you like that- I swear! Wow, I feel _terrible!_ "

"It's ok, Maya," Ryan responded with a small chuckle and a perfect smile. _Too perfect,_ Josh thought uneasily.

"Remember when I told you I'm the youngest of seven kids?" He said. "So, I'm kinda used to being forgotten. I mean it was kinda like _Home Alone_ at my house every day when I was growing up."

Maya laughed at his comment as Josh continued to observe Ryan. He was beginning to sound a lot more interesting now, Josh realized.

"That still doesn't make me feel any better," Maya responded. "Really sorry, again."

"Don't worry about it," Ryan grinned amusedly at her. "You only forgot about me for like five minutes so it's ok. It coulda been worse."

"Yeah, it probably could have," Maya agreed as she gave Josh a knowing look and a bright smile which Josh immediately interpreted as _"Thanks for reminding me that I still had this friend awkwardly waiting for me whom I had totally forgotten about."_ Josh nodded and gave her a warm smile in return which he hoped she would interpret as, _"You're welcome. I'm here for you anytime."_

" _Anyways_ ," Maya said, grinning widely as she glanced at her two male companions. "Now that my manners have returned from _wherever_ they went, lemme introduce you guys! Ryan- this is my _very_ good friend, Josh." Josh's heart soared when he heard the emphasis that she placed on the "very."

"Josh is a Freshman in college so I don't get to see him as much as I would like," She said. "And this is _not_ to excuse my terrible behavior, but he's been away for Spring break and he just came back so I guess I got a _little_ excited when I saw him." She beamed at Josh. " _And_ he decided to be slick and didn't _mention_ that he was gonna stop by here today, so I got a _little_ surprised as well. Just a _teeny_ bit."

Ryan and Josh both chuckled in amusement at her comment.

"And Josh- this is my friend, Ryan," Maya continued with the introductions. "We're both in Art Club. That's how we met. Ryan's the president of Art Club at _Abigail._ He's also the one who _started_ the club. So, it's really cool. _And,_ on top of all that, he's a _really_ talented artist. But he's too modest to _ever_ admit that so I'm kinda like his spokesperson. I go around telling everybody that he's really talented and that they should buy his art someday."

Ryan laughed. "You're like my super-enthusiastic agent," He told Maya jokingly.

" _Exactly_!" Maya agreed. "I'm gonna make sure you get a gig someday. You got nu'in to worry about, homie. I _gotcha_." She patted him reassuringly on his shoulder with a teasing grin.

Ryan chuckled, as he shook his head in amusement. "As long as you can guarantee that I don't become a starving artist one day, I'm good," He said.

" _No problemo, hombre!"_ Maya responded enthusiastically before giving him a thumbs-up. Ryan nodded appreciatively and flashed her a warm smile as he gazed at her. Josh felt the uncomfortable sensation in his gut once again as he observed the way Ryan was looking at her.

"Oh, Josh, you might enjoy this little detail about Ryan," Maya told him with a teasing grin. "He's _only_ two years older than me. Isn't that _wonderful?!"_ She winked at him.

Josh chuckled as he shook his head in immense amusement. For as long as he lived, Maya would never stop making fun of him for his past "age-related" comments. It was just something that he was going to have to accept.

"You see, back in the day, Josh used to brag about how he is three years older than me," Maya attempted to explain the joke to Ryan who was looking slightly confused.

"I wasn't bragging-" Josh protested.

"Shut up," Maya cut him off before turning back to Ryan and continuing her story. "But yeah, that was like _all_ he could talk about. It was _really_ annoying. Like, I can't help it that I'm three years younger. Sue me." Ryan laughed at this comment.

"Anyways, he doesn't do it anymore, _thank God_ , but I still tease him sometimes about it," She beamed at Josh, who simply shook his head at her with an amused smile on his face.

" _Great_ story," Ryan commented. "You guys seem like you're pretty close. How did you meet?" He asked curiously as he glanced first at Josh and then at Maya.

Josh and Maya both glanced uneasily at each other, unsure how to respond. It wasn't a question they had expected or had a prepared answer for, considering they had never been in a social setting where they were ever asked that question. So far, the only people they hung out with were family members or the "gang"- Riley, Lucas, Zay, Farkle and Smackle whenever Josh showed up at _Topanga's._ Obviously, no one in these groups ever needed to ask that question.

"Umm..." Maya intoned as she quickly thought of a reasonable answer which Josh, and more importantly, her best friend, Riley, would approve. "We, uh, kinda knew each other, as kids. Family connections. That's pretty much it," Maya said as she smiled at Ryan and then looked over at Josh for support.

"Yeah, that's pretty much how we met," Josh simply said, as he smiled warmly at Maya. He was extremely proud of her in that moment. She had given the perfect answer. It wasn't the complete truth, but Ryan didn't _need_ to know the _whole_ truth and Josh was glad she hadn't spilled it all out. He sensed- and appreciated- how her astute, half-truth answer was her attempt to protect not only her privacy but also his and Riley's as well. After all, the fact that he was Riley's uncle didn't need to be spread throughout the whole school. He was aware of how difficult it was for his niece sometimes that "everyone" at school knew that "Mr. Matthews" - her teacher- was also her dad. He was also aware of how terrible and disabling gossip and rumors could be, especially in high school. He knew that Maya who was truly _the best friend that anyone could ever have_ , as he had told her back at the ski lodge, would rather die than blurt out an intimate truth concerning Riley to _anyone_ outside of their "gang" without first seeking Riley's permission. Her extremely protective and loyal nature when it came to her friendship with Riley was one of the attributes he found to be highly attractive about her. _He_ was very protective and loyal to his family, friends and loved ones. It was definitely a characteristic that they shared in common.

"Oh ok, cool," Ryan retorted. "That definitely explains it. Anyway, it's nice to meet you Josh," He politely extended a hand in greeting.

"Nice to meet you too," Josh replied as he shook his hand firmly and gave him a polite smile.

"So, you're in college? What college do you go to?" Ryan asked him.

"NYU," Josh responded.

"Oh wow, that's a great school. It's like nearby here right?" Ryan asked.

"Yeah it's not too far by subway. Like twenty minutes," Josh replied.

"Cool. One of my older brothers is currently a Freshman. He's at Fordham, in the Bronx," Ryan told him.

"Oh, cool. That's a great school too," Josh responded.

"Yeah. I'm a Junior now at _Abigail_ so it's like time to start thinking about colleges. We just took the _SATs_ last week," Ryan said.

" _Yuck,_ " Maya responded. " _Not_ looking forward to that," She shook her head forcefully as she made a disgusted face.

"Well you still got a couple years to go Maya, so you got some time," Ryan reassured her.

"Time _flies_ though," Josh commented. "Two years is gonna come before you know it. So, the earlier you start preparing and taking your tutoring sessions _seriously,_ the better off you will be, kiddo. Just saying," He grinned teasingly at her. Maya rolled her eyes at him which made him chuckle.

"I'm _excited_ about college cos I'm sure it will be a lot more fun than _this_ ," Maya pointed to their high school. "But I don't get why they have to torture us with _all_ these tests and applications. Like can't they just see how wonderful I am and take me?" Both boys laughed at her naive comment.

"Unfortunately, life doesn't work that way Maya. You constantly have to keep proving yourself," Ryan told her softly. "I agree with you though. Things would be much better and less stressful if people could just see how wonderful you are. I personally think you're _very wonderful_ ," Ryan beamed at her.

"Awww, thank you Ryan!" Maya responded with a wide smile. "See? More people need to be like you!" Ryan laughed. However, Josh was _not_ laughing this time around.

 _What kinda game is this guy playing?_ He thought as he narrowed his eyes suspiciously at Ryan. Josh couldn't figure him out and it was bothering him immensely. After everything he had witnessed thus far, he was definitely sure that Ryan liked Maya. It was obvious. He wasn't sure if Maya had noticed though and was just simply ignoring it. Knowing how innocent Maya was, she probably hadn't noticed it yet. What bothered Josh, however, was the fact that Ryan had witnessed for _five whole minutes_ Maya's interaction with him and should have figured out by now (as any smart guy would) that he and Maya were clearly more than friends even though they hadn't explicitly said so. Considering all of this, Josh was befuddled that Ryan was _flirting_ with Maya (he was convinced that the way he had said "you're _very wonderful"_ to Maya was very much an attempt at flirting), and making "googly" eyes at her right _in front_ of Josh. Was Ryan _so clueless_ that he hadn't noticed the vibe between him and Maya? Or he just didn't care? Either way, Josh was starting to get annoyed. He had wanted to give MHG the benefit of the doubt despite his initial discomfort with him. But the fact that he was still hanging around and sort of flirting with Maya now (along with his super good looks and height), was starting to really bother him.

"You know Josh, speaking of how wonderful Maya is, she's a _really_ talented artist, too," Ryan said as he beamed at Maya. Josh raised his eyebrows when he saw him flash that perfect smile for what seemed like the umpteenth time. He couldn't _believe_ what was happening. "She really has an eye for the abstract," Ryan continued. "But you probably already know this."

Josh wasn't sure exactly how to respond considering Maya still hadn't shown him any of her art. Every time he brought it up, she would just give him a teasing grin and change the subject. So exactly what was he supposed to say to _Mr. Perfect_ who was annoying the hell out of him right now?

"Um yeah. She's very talented _and_ wonderful. I already know that about her, Ryan," Josh finally responded in a slightly defensive tone.

Maya sensed right away that something was wrong and immediately intervened. "Um, I think it's getting late now fellas. It's almost 6 o'clock," She said, glancing at her phone. "I gotta get home for dinner so...Ryan, I'll see you on Wednesday?"

"Sure," Ryan replied. "Are you taking the subway though? I'm headed that way as well if you wanna go together?"

"Umm," Maya intoned as she glanced at Josh and gave him an uncertain look.

"I would still like us to catch up for a lil bit if you have some time? But if you have to go, that's ok…" Josh told her softly.

"Um, sure. We could catch up," Maya responded brightly. "I'll just call Mom and let her know."

"Ok," Josh nodded with a smile.

"I - uh - have to catch up with Josh, Ryan. So, will see you on Wednesday?"

"Of course. It was nice meeting you Josh. Good luck with college," Ryan said.

"Thanks," Josh retorted with a tense smile. "Nice meeting you as well, Ryan. Best of luck with everything."

"Bye Maya. And _great_ job today at art," Ryan commended her with a warm smile.

"Thanks Ryan," Maya replied with a wide grin. "You did good too. Have a good night."

Ryan started walking away towards the direction of the subway. Josh felt all his discomfort dissipating and a calmness start to fill him again the farther Ryan walked away from them.

"You ok?" Maya asked him bluntly.

"Yeah, I'm fine," He responded with a bright smile. Maya raised an eyebrow at him as she gave him a skeptical look.

"What?" Josh said when he noticed her look.

"The way you responded to Ryan earlier...it sounded like you were getting annoyed," Maya pointed out. "So, do we need to talk about it? Cos Ryan is a friend of mine. And we're gonna be friends for a while considering we're both very passionate about art. I'm kinda like his assistant at Art Club. So, I need to know that everything's ok. And if not, then, let's talk about it. But you're gonna have to be honest with me Boing," She told him firmly.

Josh sighed as he scratched the back of his hair nervously and quickly stretched out the muscles in his neck.

"It's _nothing,_ really. Not really a big deal. It's _fine._ " Josh muttered as he avoided eye contact with her.

"You _never_ lose your cool, Josh. With _anyone._ So, I do think it's a big deal whatever was going on in that moment when you responded to Ryan. But I can't help you with whatever you're going through if you won't tell me about it. And I'm not gonna let it go until you do, so, _there._ " Maya grinned amusedly at him and crossed her arms as she waited for him to respond.

Josh sighed again and took a moment to carefully think about what he was going to tell her before speaking. "Again, it's _really_ not that big of a deal and I wouldn't have brought it up but...because you insist...I suppose, I'll tell you…"

"Just _say_ it," Maya replied impatiently.

"I think Ryan _likes_ you...like, he has a crush on you, or maybe even more than that...I dunno how long you guys have known each other so can't really get a sense of how strong his feelings might be…" Josh said.

"Ok," Maya replied in a calm, unperturbed tone. "I don't think we can know for _sure_ if he likes me more than a friend unless we ask him, but let's say that you're right and he _likes likes_ me. So what? What's the problem?"

Josh looked at her with a confused expression on his face. "What do you mean, 'what's the problem?'" He asked her softly.

"I mean, what's _your_ problem? Can another guy not like me? I _am_ pretty _and_ awesome," She grinned at him. "Are you gonna be bothered if somebody likes me that's not you?"

"No, that's not it," Josh responded passionately. "You're a _great_ girl, Maya. _Of course,_ a good number of guys are going to find themselves attracted to you- and there's nothing wrong with that. My issue with Ryan wasn't necessarily that...it was just the way he was kinda flaunting his feelings and his 'art' connection with you right in my face even though he must have known that there's something going on between us...I mean, we weren't really trying to hide it...I dunno, I'm sure he's a nice guy and all but he just kinda turned me off a bit with the way he was acting- that's all. But like I said, it's really not a big deal. If he's your friend, that's cool. I don't have a problem with that." He smiled at her.

Maya simply shook her head at him slowly while grinning widely in immense amusement. "Never thought the day would come when I would see Boing Matthews jealous. This day just keeps getting better!" She stated.

"Huh?" Josh replied. "That's not it at all. I'm not _jealous._..that's not it," He felt himself blushing the more he kept denying it.

Maya giggled amusedly as she watched his pinkish-red face. "Your face says it all, Boing. There's no point denying it," She teased him. "Look, it happens to _every little boy_ at some point in their lives. But it's ok. You'll be alright," She grinned teasingly at him.

"Stop it," Josh muttered as he turned away from her. Maya burst out laughing before walking around to face him again.

"I get it. Ryan's hot. Don't think I haven't noticed. _Every girl_ in Art Club and outside of Art Club _has_ noticed. It's natural. He's also pretty cool and has an artistic soul. He's also _only_ two years older than me. So, you're thinking to yourself, _'Holy crap, she's friends with this guy? And they do art together twice a week? Time to panic.'_ I feel ya. If you were super close with an NYU girl cos you both _loved_ Photography and she looked like Ryan, except, you know, the girl version, I would definitely feel jealous too. It's nothing to be ashamed of, Boing, and you _can_ admit it without trying to beat about the bush. The fact is, if you didn't like me as much as you do, nothing about what Ryan said or did today would have bothered you, really. Am I wrong?" She asked him.

Josh sighed. "No, you're not," He readily admitted as he brushed a hand through his hair.

Maya grinned. "Atta boy," She replied. "I'm glad you're finally coming around to being honest about your feelings. But now that we've established that jealousy is the problem here, what you also need to know obviously is that no matter what Ryan may or may not feel- that doesn't matter to _us._ What matters is how _I_ feel. _And_ although I do think Ryan is pretty hot and a great guy, I do _not like like_ him. I only have feelings like that for one guy. And I think you - and Ryan, hopefully after what he saw today, especially when I _forgot_ about him - know who that guy is. So, I hope that solves your problem?" She beamed at him.

Josh smiled warmly at her. "Yes, it does," He said softly.

"Good!" Maya said brightly. "So, now that we've settled that, can I _finally_ get that kiss?" She said as she moved closer to him.

Josh grinned widely at her- his heart thumping- as he leaned in slowly and placed a soft kiss on her lips. He kissed her for a few seconds before pulling away and whispering to her softly, "I _really really really like you,_ Maya." Maya smiled widely at him before she leaned in and kissed him again for a few more seconds. "I feel the same way about you, Boing," She told him softly after she pulled away from him. " _And_ I just wanted to point out that you're being _super emotional and cheesy_ right now. You keep being like this and you're gotta give me a _lot_ of embarrassing, blackmail material," She grinned mischievously at him.

Josh burst out laughing as he grabbed her hand and held it tenderly. "Wanna go catch up now? Maybe we could go to the park across the street?" He asked her.

"Sure," She replied. "Will call my Mom as we walk. I'll tell her we'll be coming home late for dinner. You're staying for dinner by the way. And don't even _think_ about saying no. You can't refuse."

Josh chuckled softly before nodding gently at her. "Sure. Thanks for the invite," He said. She truly was _wonderful,_ and he was just so _lucky_ to have her.

"Okie-dokie. Let's go!" She said.

Hand in hand, they walked serenely towards the park.


	18. Chapter 18

" _So_ , aside from meeting your new bff, Ryan, ya having a good day?" Maya asked Josh with a teasing grin as they strolled through the park. Due to the warm, beautiful Spring weather and the sun still radiating its light from the bluish sky, the park was overflowing with kids, parents and babysitters despite the late hour. Josh rolled his eyes at Maya's reference of Ryan as his "bff."

"Let it be noted that if we were the  _only_ people left on earth,  _Mr. Can't Take a Hint and Get His Own Girl_ will  _never_ be my bff. Not in a  _million_ years. Thank you very much. That would be all," Josh stated in an emphatic tone. Maya burst out laughing at his candid comment as she stared at him affectionately. She let go of his hand in order to move closer to him and wrap her arm tenderly around his back. Josh instinctively placed his arm around her shoulder, which allowed her to lean her body against his side and gaze up at him with a wide, warm smile. Josh couldn't help but smile fondly at her in return. He felt his heart rate increase at her sudden, physical proximity to him. As they stood gazing at each other, he found himself leaning in to place a soft, light kiss on her forehead. He allowed his lips to linger a bit longer before pulling away and poking her cheek playfully with his finger.

"I'm surprised you're still smiling at me," He teased her. "You're not gonna scold me for giving you a forehead kiss and not the  _real kissy-kissy_?"

Maya giggled at his comment. " _Nope_.  _Not_ this time," She retorted. "I'm just happy you're here." She beamed at him before laying her head on his shoulder as they kept walking. Josh smiled at the intimate gesture. "I'm happy I'm here too," He muttered softly.

" _And_  I'm also having a  _great_ day- just so you know," Maya continued. "The weather's nice, I made a lotta progress at art, I annoyed the  _heck_  out of your brother in class which  _always_  makes me happy,  _and_ \- this is the best part of all-  _you_  got jealous over  _me_ so that's one thing crossed off my Boing progress list!" She grinned triumphantly.

Josh chuckled in amusement. "You have a Boing progress list?" He asked her curiously.

" _Duh_. Not sure why you sound surprised," Maya stated matter-of-factly.

"Good point," Josh nodded as he chuckled again.  _Of course_ she would have such a list.

"It's not an actual list though. It's just in my head.  _Riley_ has an  _actual_ list like written down and everything- as you can imagine," Maya explained as she lifted her head from his shoulder and looked up at him with an amused grin. "Guess what the first item on your niece's list is?"

"Find Prince Charming?" Josh replied.

"Bingo!" Maya exclaimed with a small chuckle. "Aw, ya know her so well."

"Well, first of all, we've discussed this before.  _Not_ the list, but Riley's obsession with fairy tales. Second of all,  _of course_  I know her well. Why dyou think I'm the favorite uncle?" Josh retorted with a proud grin.

"Technically, you being the favorite uncle aint much of an accomplishment, Boing. The choice is between you and super weird Uncle Eric who's like  _never_ around- so go figure," Maya pointed out.

"I disagree," Josh stated passionately. "I worked my butt off for the cool, fav uncle position. You heard what Augs said at my birthday dinner. I'm awesome!"

"Ugh,  _nerdy brag alert!_ " Maya teased, rolling her eyes at him. Josh burst out laughing as he used the hand he had around her shoulder to place some stray hairs behind her ear and pinch her cheek softly.

"Ow, that  _hurt_ ," Maya whined as she batted his hand away from her face.

Josh chuckled. "Anyways," He said. "Care to tell me what else you got on your Boing list?"

"Uh, no," Maya responded firmly. "If I do that, I'll just jinx it.  _Duh_. Don't worry though. I'll make sure to update you once something major gets crossed off. Stay tuned," She winked at him. Josh grinned. "Ok then," He responded.

They continued walking for a few more minutes as they observed the hubbub around them- kids running around on the playgrounds, parents pushing their kids on swing sets, some teens playing basketball, and a few adults lounging on the park benches as they observed their kids at play, chatted amongst themselves or stared at their phones. Josh spotted an empty bench and pointed to it.

"Wanna sit for a lil bit?" He asked her. "Sure," She nodded. They sat down and Maya immediately made herself comfortable by resting her head on his shoulder while leaning back on the bench. Josh glanced down at her with an amused grin.

"I see, you're  _really_  starting to like this shoulder. Not sure if it can support your  _massive_  head weight though. This might be a problem, kiddo," He teased her. Maya giggled in response. " _Shut up_  and just sit still, k? That's  _all_ you gotta do,  _geesh_ ," She muttered as she pressed the side of her head further down on his shoulder.

"Nah, I'm not gonna shut up," Josh continued his teasing. "Get off, ya little ferret! Off!  _Off the shoulder!"_ He jerked his arm away from her head playfully. Maya giggled amusedly before sticking her tongue out at him and laying her head on his lap since his shoulder was no longer available. She positioned herself with the back of her head lying flat on his lap and her face looking up at him.

" _Ooh_ , I think I like this better actually. It's a  _lot_  more comfortable. Thanks Boing! I can even take a nap now," She teased him as she closed her eyes and sighed contentedly.

" _Unbelievable_ ," Josh muttered, shaking his head at her in immense amusement. He didn't particularly mind her lying on his lap. In fact, as he gazed upon her heart-shaped face illuminated by the fading rays of the sun, he was mesmerized by the simplicity of her beauty and innocence. But he also wanted to mess with her a little bit and he knew exactly how to do it.

"You know, my fingers are feeling a  _little_   _tic-kic-lish_ right now," He said as he rubbed his hands together and gave her a mischievous smile.

Maya immediately opened her eyes and gasped dramatically. "You wouldn't  _dare_ ," She told him.

Josh laughed. "Oh yes I would- if you don't leave my lap in five seconds," He warned her.

Maya bit her lip as she thought about what to do.

"Alright Boing," She addressed him in a defiant tone. "Go ahead and give it your best shot.  _But_  you might be a little disappointed. After all, I aint a little ticklish kid anymore."

"Ha, you sure about that?" Josh retorted.

"Uh-huh," Maya nodded.

"Ok then. Like I said, I'm gonna give you  _up to five seconds_  to save yourself. After that- I show  _no mercy,_ " Josh warned. "1...2...3...4...5!"

"Wait, hold on!" Maya cried out.

"Too late!" Josh yelled before he attacked her ribs with his fingers and started tickling her mercilessly.

"NO!" Maya shrieked as she tried unsuccessfully to push his hands away. She burst out in loud, uncontrollable laughter that reverberated through the area where they were seated and caught the attention of a few kids who were playing nearby.

"No more!  _Pleaaase. STOP- AHAHAHAHA!"_ She kept laughing raucously as Josh continued his tickle attack. Josh couldn't help but break out in laughter as he watched her reaction.

"Is she ok?" A young, blonde girl asked Josh as she came to stand in front of them with a couple of her friends and watched Maya curiously.

"Yeah, she will be alright," Josh answered, extremely amused. He had stopped tickling her and was now waiting for Maya to calm down. From experience, he knew that it would probably take around ten seconds for her to finally stop laughing.

"I think you tickled her too hard!" The little girl stated as she observed Maya writhing around on Josh's lap and laughing hysterically.

Josh chuckled. "Maybe," He retorted. "Fun to watch though right?" He asked the kids. They all nodded their heads as they grinned widely in amusement.

"I hate you!" Maya yelled out vehemently to Josh after her laughter finally subsided.

Josh laughed in response. "Now  _that_ , kids, is what we call a lie!" Josh addressed the group of friends. "You ever heard the phrase,  _'liar liar pants on fire?'_ "

"Yeah!" They responded.

"Good! So don't do it. Lying is  _bad_."

" _Shut up!_ " Maya exclaimed as she got up from Josh's lap and faced the kids.

"Now, girls, listen to me and  _not_ Mr. Tickle Monster over here!" She pointed to Josh and stuck her tongue out at him. The girls giggled at Maya's child-like gesture.

"Now, ladies, listen up cos this is  _really_ important," Maya stated in a serious tone. "When you guys start liking boys,  _make sure_ that you  _never_ have a crush on  _any_  boy like Mr. Tickle Monster over here. You know why? Because boys like him- they  _torture_ you literally by tickling you to death. They can seem  _really nice_ but they're actually not _..._ you know what I mean?"

The three girls nodded vigorously.

"Hey! She's lying guys! Liar, liar pants on-"

"Shut it!" Maya cut Josh off by covering his mouth with her hand before turning her attention back to the group. "So, like I was saying girls,  _don't_ like any boys that look like  _him,_ or try to tickle you, or whose first name is  _Josh_.  _Trust me_ \- you guys are gonna thank me one day."

Josh chuckled. "Maya, they're like seven. Why are you putting these grown-up, erroneous ideas in their head?"

" _Silence_ Tickle Monster!" Maya exclaimed. "They're never too young to know the truth. Right ladies?"

"Yeah! You're  _not_ nice!" The blonde girl responded as she pointed an accusatory finger at Josh.

"Hey! I thought you were on  _my_ side! She was  _lying_ about me!" Josh cried out in protest.

"NO! I'm on  _her_ side!" She pointed to Maya with a wide grin. Her two friends nodded in agreement.

"That's my girl!" Maya responded happily as she beamed at the three girls.

"Angie! There you are! We have to go!" A blonde-haired woman approached the little girl and grabbed her hand.

"Mommy, this is our new friend!" Angie cried out excitedly as she pointed to Maya.

"Oh hi!" Angie's Mom greeted Maya warmly.

"Hi," Maya responded with a wide smile. "Angie's very sweet. It was nice meeting her."

"Mommy! Mommy!  _She_  said we can't like any boys who tickle us or their first name is Josh! But that's Daddy's name! So is it true, Mommy?" Angie asked her Mom curiously.

" _What_?!" The Mom responded with a confused expression as she immediately looked over at Maya for an explanation. Maya looked pale and extremely uncomfortable as she sat there speechless and shocked at the unfortunate turn of events.

"Oh  _wow_! It's 6:30 already," Josh cried out as he immediately stood up. "Maya, we have to go. We still have to get to dinner at your place. It was  _really_ nice meeting your daughter," He told Angie's Mom before flashing her a bright, charming smile.

"Uh...sure," Angie's Mom said in a suspicious tone with a frown on her face before turning to her daughter and her two friends. "Let's go guys!"

"Bye!" Angie waved goodbye to Maya as her Mom led her away quickly. Maya didn't wave back. She simply sat there frozen and staring off into space with a shell-shocked expression on her face.

Josh wanted to tease her about the unfortunate but  _hilarious_ turn of events. But one glance at her dour demeanor was enough for him to know she was  _not_ in a joking mood. He decided to comfort her instead.

"You ok?" He asked her softly as he sat down next to her and gently bumped his arm against hers. When she didn't look at him or respond, he waved a hand in her face.

" _Hello?!_  Earth to Maya! Ya still there?" He called out.

" _Ughh!"_  Maya groaned loudly as she covered her face with her hands and dropped her head on his shoulder. " _That was terrible!"_

"Aww, my poor lil ferret...it's gonna be ok," Josh reassured her with a wide, amused grin before kissing the top of her head fondly.

"Of  _all_ the names in the world!" Maya cried out in frustration. "Of  _all_ the darn names...her dad's name just  _had_ to be  _Josh?! How_ does that happen?! Like,  _how_  in the world do I have such rotten luck?! I mean, like,  _ughhh!"_

Josh chuckled amusedly at her outburst. "Well, it  _is_ a pretty common name, Maya. Especially for guys. Ya know?" He stated matter-of-factly.

Maya shot him an annoyed, frustrated look.

"Gee,  _thanks_  Captain Obvious for enlightening me that Josh is a common name for the male species!" She said sarcastically. "I had  _no idea until right now!_ So  _thank you_ so much for this  _powerful_ piece of knowledge. I'll indeed make sure to remember your wise words next time-  _oh great, perfect One-_  before I open my big mouth and screw myself over like I  _always_  do. Let's also not forget my super bad luck! Cos that always makes things interesting. It pretty much guarantees that Maya is either gonna screw up or get screwed. Either way, I'm sure it's  _all_  gonna be  _great_  entertainment for you to watch and to comment on with your words of wisdom!  _Yay!_ " She sighed in frustration before moving a few spaces away from him on the bench and crossing her arms.

_Holy crap,_ Josh thought as he rubbed the back of his neck uneasily. He had clearly angered her with his straightforward comment about "Josh" being a common name. But it wasn't  _just_  that comment that had gotten on her nerves. What Josh understood from her long, sarcastic vent was that she was extremely frustrated and angry with her "imperfections" and her "bad luck" which she claimed was  _always_ getting her into trouble. What hurt Josh the most however, was her insinuation that Josh- who she believed was "perfect" - was going to be making fun of her every time she made a mistake. Josh couldn't  _believe_ that she actually viewed him that way after one small comment that he had made.

He knew that it was time to finally open up to her about  _his_ imperfections and mistakes. After all, that was part of the reason why he had wanted to spend some time with her that afternoon. He felt extremely uneasy and scared about having this conversation, but he knew that if he wanted to have any sort of genuine relationship with her then he had to tell her  _everything._ Hopefully, once she knew how imperfect  _he_ was, she would no longer think of him as some sort of holier-than-thou, insensitive jerk.  _But what if you scare her off and she leaves your ass behind for the million other Ryans out there who probably are "perfect"?_ Josh sighed as the thought flashed through his mind. Unfortunately, that was a risk he was going to have to take. He glanced at his watch. They had about fifteen minutes until he had to walk her home for dinner. It was now or never. He  _had_ to tell her.

"I'm sorry, Maya," He started off with an apology. "I shouldn't have made that comment. Um, I'm sorry you felt like I was trying to make fun of you. I assure you, that was  _not_ my intention. I might have found _what happened_ to be a little funny or amusing but I would  _never_ mock you or make fun of you for something that clearly made you feel terrible. I really care about you, Maya. So yeah, I'm sorry that my comment made you feel that way."

Maya sighed as she twiddled her thumbs absentmindedly and stared straight ahead with a dejected expression on her face. "I'm the one who should be apologizing Josh," She muttered softly. "I shouldn't have gone off on you like that. That was really rude. I guess I was just frustrated and I took it all out on you, which wasn't fair cos all you did was try to get me out of another embarrassing mess that I managed to get myself into, yet again.  _And_ I didn't even thank you for that- for dealing with the Mom…" Her voice trailed off as she stared at her lap for a few seconds before speaking again. "I just- I just kinda wish I wasn't making a fool outta myself pretty much  _every time_ you're around, you know?"

"Maya, what are you talking about?" Josh interjected. "Listen to me, what happened was totally out of your control, ok? I mean, you were just joking around with the kid. How could you possibly have known her dad's  _name_? It's  _not_ your fault and it's not anything you could have prevented so don't be so hard on yourself."

"You don't get it," Maya retorted as she sighed softly. "Josh- I- I'm a broken mess... Things generally don't work out for me. It's either I have terrible luck or I just screw things up. But one way or another- I'm always kinda prepared for the worse. And I know that's not healthy and I should be hopeful and  _yaddy yadda_ \- and I  _am_ hopeful and I'm trying to stay positive like you always say - but I feel like in a way that makes it even worse because I feel like everything's going  _so well_ right now in my life - so that means something  _bad_ is just gonna happen or that I'm just gonna mess things up. I dunno...I feel like what happened today was the Universe's way of warning me not to get too hopeful cos I'm still a screw-up with  _really_  bad luck, you know?…" She paused for a moment before continuing. "I'm  _really_  sorry- I know all of this is super depressing and I remember I did the  _same_ thing on your birthday when we were at  _Topanga's..._   _really sorry about that_."

"It's ok, Maya," Josh said soothingly.

"It's not though. It's not ok, Josh," She responded as she made eye-contact with him for the first time since she started speaking. " _God,_ you deserve so much better than this." Josh felt his heart breaking when he heard her say that. Maya continued, "I mean, you could have anyone you want, Josh. You're a  _great_  guy. You deserve so much better than a broken mess and you always having to fix my screw-ups or listen to my super depressing issues…" Maya bit her lip as she broke off eye-contact with him and went back to staring dazedly at her lap. "I dunno...as much as I hate to even  _think_ about it, I feel like you should probably stay away from me before things get too serious between us." Josh raised his eyebrows in shock at her words. He had  _not_ been expecting her to say that.

"Maya, what are you-"

"Lemme explain," Maya cut him off. "I really like you Josh. That much is obvious. I want to be with you. But I can't be selfish. I can't just think about myself and what I want. I  _have_ to think about you too...And, obviously, you deserve  _better._ You deserve someone who's not broken or has so many issues or all this bad luck that's gonna rub off on you...I dunno. That's just what I've been thinking."

Josh was extremely alarmed at everything he was hearing. He had to open up to her about his own imperfections immediately. "Maya, I get that you don't think you deserve me," He said. " _Believe me,_ I feel the same way about you and I'm gonna tell you why. You still have me on this pedestal of perfection and it's about time I broke that pedestal down so you can finally get to know the  _real_ me."

"Huh? But I already know the real you," Maya responded. "You're nerdy, goody-two-shoes, clueless Boing who also happens to be Riley's uncle and you never played football. What else is there to know?" She grinned teasingly at him.

Josh chuckled. "Those are the basic facts, Maya, like what you'd see on a Wikipedia page, but there's a lot more to know beyond that," He told her. "For now, I'm going to share with you some of  _my_ screw-ups. And hopefully, by the time I'm done, you won't feel so bad about yours and keep thinking that you don't deserve me. You'll also know why I  _definitely_ don't deserve you. Remember when I mentioned my ex-girlfriend some time back? The one in high school?"

"Yeah, I do," Maya nodded. "You mentioned that you lost your innocence to her," She added shyly.

"Yeah, but there's a lot more to the story, and I think it's time that you finally knew." Josh went ahead to tell her about Anna and everything that had happened between them including their recent encounter during his Spring break.

"So you see Maya, compared to me, you're practically a saint," He concluded. "At least, you've never broken anyone's heart. So please don't be so hard on yourself anymore,  _especially_ if you're doing it for me because I  _don't_ deserve it. You're  _not_ a broken mess, Maya.  _Far from it._ If anyone's a broken mess, then that's  _me_. I mean, I was  _terrible_ to Anna. It's a miracle that she eventually forgave me. And I'd like to tell you that I've learned a lot from my past and I'm this  _perfect_ person now, but I'd be lying to you- because I'm not. Yes, I did learn a lot from my experience with Anna. I certainly never plan to hurt any girl like I hurt her  _ever_ again. It'd  _kill_ me to do so,  _especially_ if I hurt  _you_. But I'm still  _far_ from perfect.  _You_ on the other hand are a beautiful, strong,  _amazing_ girl who deserves the world and  _everything_ that's perfect and beautiful in it. That's  _clearly_  not me. And now that you know the real me, I will totally understand if you want to step back- because  _I'm_ the one who doesn't deserve you Maya and that's  _always_ gonna be the case."

He stopped talking when he saw a single tear roll slowly down her face. Without any hesitation, he reached out his hand and gently wiped it away. His affectionate, intimate gesture caused more tears to flow down her face as she gazed at him silently.

His heart breaking at the sight of her tears, Josh immediately stood up and faced her. He held out his hand to her and waited for her to grab it. When she did after a few seconds, he gently pulled her off the bench and wrapped her in his arms in an attempt to comfort her. She buried her face in his chest and wept softly. They stood there for about a minute, silently, entwined in each other's arms as the orange, yellowish rays of the Spring sun completely faded and the park slowly emptied out.

Maya was the first to loosen the embrace. She gave Josh a wide smile and whispered a soft  _"Thank you,"_ before wiping away her stray tears and sitting back down. Josh sat down next to her, his gaze fixated on his lap as he anxiously awaited Maya's response to his revelation. On the one hand, he felt relieved that he had finally been honest with her about everything. On the other hand, he was extremely nervous because he had no idea how she would react now that she knew that he was no "Prince Charming."

"You know, Boing," Maya stated with a teasing grin, "when you kept hinting that you weren't perfect, I thought it was something like you're a big party animal at NYU, or you forget to call your parents, or you used to steal cookies from the cookie jar back in the day. I was  _not_ thinking  _douche-bag, super jerk, R-rated, high school movie hot-guy-bad-boy_  imperfect. I mean, to quote your brother's favorite curse word in class,  _HOOVER DAM!_ "

Josh burst out laughing at her comment, as he shook his head in immense amusement and stared at her fondly. He was  _amazed_ at how quickly she could switch personalities- from serious to humorous- within the span of a few seconds. It was just absolutely incredible and fascinating to watch.

"I'm gonna tell you what you told me, Josh," Maya said softly. "You're  _not_ a broken mess. You're human. You made a mistake. It was a  _terrible_ one- but I know you felt terrible about it and I can't believe for a second that you ever meant to hurt Anna that way. I do have some questions though if you don't mind me asking?"

"Sure, go ahead," Josh replied.

"Do you still like Anna? Like, is there any part of you that  _maybe_ wants to be with her? And before you say no, I want you to  _really_ think about it Josh- because the answer to that is going to affect everything. If you  _don't_ want to hurt me- and I know you don't- then you  _have_ to be  _completely honest_ with me about exactly what your feelings are for her right now that you guys have made up."

Josh took a moment to contemplate her question before responding. "No. I don't have feelings for Anna. Not anymore. That's all in the past. I moved on...she moved on. We're each living our own lives now. I still like her as a friend, obviously, but that's about it. I like  _you_ romantically, Maya, and you're the one that I want to be with," He smiled warmly at her.

"So, you and Anna are...what? Friends now?" She asked him warily.

"No," Josh responded firmly. "We both agreed that that wouldn't be a good idea, especially after I told her about you. So, no, we, uh, we're not friends...maybe, acquaintances, I guess…"

"Yeah, but she might be coming to NYU, Josh," Maya pointed out. "I mean, that's a possibility right? You guys might be in the same college. It would be kinda difficult to be just acquaintances in that situation, wouldn't it?"

Josh thought for a moment before responding. "I doubt she'll come to NYU, especially after our last conversation today where we both basically said our goodbyes. She  _might_ be in New York City though if she gets into Columbia- her top choice. But even with that, New York City is a big place as  _you-_ City Girl- certainly know," He pointed to the large  _NEW YORK CITY GIRL_ tank-top that she was wearing. Maya smiled. "It's a big enough place that Anna and I can definitely still be acquaintances," Josh continued. "So far, we're both focused on moving on with our lives and that's how it's going to be," He assured her.

Maya nodded slowly and leaned back against the bench as she stared dazedly into space. She seemed lost in thought. Josh remained silent as he gave her the time and space she needed to process everything he had just told her. After a minute of silence, Maya finally spoke again.

"You're telling me the whole truth, Josh? There's  _nothing_ that you're leaving out?" She asked him in a shaky, uncertain tone.

"I've told you the whole truth, Maya, about me and Anna," Josh responded firmly. "I wouldn't lie to you-  _not_ about this."

"I trust you, Josh," Maya said as she gazed at him intently. "There are very few people who I trust  _completely_  and you're one of them. You always have been…" Her voice trailed off as she bit her lip nervously before continuing her train of thought. "And I still want to be with you. But you're gonna have to promise me these two things first. D'you think you'll be able to do that?"

Josh nodded as he felt his heart pounding. "Sure," He said. "What is it?"

Maya took a deep breath before speaking. "First, you have to promise me Josh, that if you ever want to break things off for  _any_ reason- your feelings changed, you found someone else, whatever- that you'll be  _honest_ with me and you won't just drag things on and make me believe that everything's fine. Can you promise me that? I just need a yes or no from you. Please don't say anything else."

"Yes," Josh simply stated, utterly impressed by the mature way that she was handling the conversation. "I can promise you that."

"Thanks," Maya said as she gave him a small smile. "And here's the second thing," She said. "I need you to promise me Josh, that...that…" she paused for a few seconds to gather her courage and calm her racing heart before continuing, "that you'll do everything that you can  _not to_ break my heart- because I'm not sure if I'll be able to handle that…" Her voice trailed off as she broke off eye-contact with him and stared down at her lap. "I promise you that I'll do everything in my power never to break  _your_  heart," She muttered almost in a whisper. "But, can you make me the same promise and actually mean it?" She asked him softly. "If you can't, that's ok, but you  _have_ to tell me now."

Josh felt like a bucket of cold ice had been dunked on him as he sat there completely frozen. His biggest fear  _in the world_  was  _hurting_ her. And here she was, utterly vulnerable, telling him that she trusted him completely and asking him to promise her that he would  _never_ break her heart.  _Could he make her that promise? Would he be able to stay faithful to it? Yes, yes he could, and yes he would. He just had to! He had gone through hell and back when he callously broke Anna's heart. There was no way in hell that he was going to do the same to Maya. He would do everything in his power never to do that to her because destroying her heart would mean destroying his own. There was no way that he would be able to handle putting her through such terrible pain. She meant too much to him._

"I promise you, Maya," He said in his most confident voice, "that I will do  _everything_ in my power  _never_ to break your heart. And I mean this promise one hundred percent," He smiled warmly at her. Maya smiled back as she felt her heart rate calming down and her fears subsiding.

"Ok, Boing," She told him, "just know that I'm holding you to these promises. You break 'em, and not only am I gonna kill ya, but I'm gonna sacrifice your blood to the devil so that you never make it to heaven. Sounds good?"

Josh chuckled. "Yep, sounds good, kiddo," He replied.

"Uh-oh," Maya muttered as she stared at her phone.

"What?" Josh asked.

"My Mom texted like five minutes ago. She said if we don't get home in 20 minutes, Shawn's gonna flip out and stop us from hanging out again. Apparently, he's starving."

" _Crap,"_ Josh muttered as he took out his phone. Just as he had feared, there were  _two missed calls_ followed by a threatening text message from Shawn.

_**Shawn**_ : _Baby Matthews- I'm giving you 20 mins to bring my daughter home. I've had a long day and I need to eat- but the wife insists that you're coming and we need to wait for you. If you're not here in 20, forget hanging out with my daughter ever again. And no, Cor will NOT change my mind if you go crying to him and beg him to talk to me. Consider yourself warned. Tick. Tock._

" _Holy crap,"_ Josh muttered as he started thinking of a way to get Maya home as soon as possible. "Ok, I'm gonna get us an  _Uber_ ," He said.

"Are you sure?" Maya asked. "That's kinda expensive, Josh. I'll just talk to Shawn. We leave now, get on the subway, we can be home in like 30 minutes."

"No, I can't take the risk.  _Not_ with Shawn.  _Especially,_ since he's starving. He's really gonna forbid us from seeing each other. Ever heard the phrase, 'a hungry man is an angry man'?"

Maya burst out laughing and nodded.

"Well, there ya go. That's your Daddy right now," Josh grinned amusedly. "Ok, the  _Uber_  should be here in five minutes- and it should get us home right on time if the traffic cooperates. Hopefully it does. You got all your stuff?"

"Yep," Maya nodded as she grabbed her large tote bag.

"Oh, by the way, this is for you. I almost forgot," Josh told her as he handed her a red hat.

"Oh, what's this?" Maya asked.

"It's a  _Phillies_ hat!" Josh told her excitedly. "Remember my dad and I went to the  _Phillies_ game during the break? I got it when I was there. Figured you might need one so there ya go."

Maya frowned at him. "I'm a  _Yankees_ fan, Josh.  _Why_ in the world would I  _ever_ wear this?  _New York City Girl_ \- remember?" She pointed to her tank-top. Josh laughed.

"Ok, first of all, you're part of the Matthews fam," Josh explained. "So, you  _will_ be needing that hat during the Summer when we all get together and go see a  _Phillies_ game. Something tells me you're gonna be around for that this Summer so I'm just planning ahead for ya." Maya shook her head amusedly at him. "Second of, Riley has one! You've seen it right?" Josh asked her. Maya nodded. "Ok, so now you guys can  _really_ be twins when you both wear your hats at our Matthews baseball game outing. Now wouldn't  _that_ be cool? You guys could take  _all_ the smoking hot selfies you want.  _Oh my gosshh!_ " Maya giggled at his terrible imitation of her and Riley.

"I'm  _still_ not wearing it," Maya stated stubbornly. "I'm loyal to my beloved  _Yankees_." Josh shook his head at her sadly. "I see," He stated as he got up from the bench. "That's too bad. Guess I'm gonna have to take the hat back now and get my refund. I think I can get me like three or four  _nice_  Philly cheese-steaks with the money I spent on this thing. Can I get it back, puh-leeze?" He asked Maya as he stretched out his hand to grab the hat from her. Maya slapped his hand away.

"What's the matter with you?!" She chastised him. "How do you give a gal a present and then try to take it back the  _same_  day?"

Josh chuckled. "You said you didn't want it because of your  _beloved_ Yankees!" He teased her.

" _Unbelievable,_ " Maya muttered, shaking her head, as she placed the hat on her head. "Well, how do I look?" She asked Josh. Josh grinned widely from ear to ear before quickly taking out his camera. "Mind if I take a quick pic of you so you can see?" He asked her.

"Ok," Maya nodded.

Josh snapped a couple pictures of her and waved for her to come survey them.

"Ooh! I look  _great_!" Maya stated excitedly.

" _Great?_ You look  _beautiful,_ Maya," Josh replied as he gazed fondly at her. "A  _Phillies_ hat looks good on ya, Lil Ferret." Maya blushed underneath the intensity of his gaze as she beamed at him.

Right at that moment, they heard a loud honk behind them and turned around at the sound. It was their  _Uber_ taxi ride.

" _Uber_ for Joshua?!" The driver called out to them from his window.

"Yep, that's us!" Josh responded as they ran to the taxi. They quickly got inside and the driver sped off towards Maya's apartment. All throughout the ride, Josh prayed that they would get there in time. Otherwise, a starving and scary Shawn Hunter was going to take away his "Lil Ferret," and there was  _no way_ he was going to let that happen.


	19. Chapter 19

Josh entered _Topanga's_ café on the warm mid-May Saturday afternoon with a tall flask of dark coffee dangling from his hand and the upbeat rhythm of the song _Let's Get It Started_ by _The_ _Black Eyed Peas_ pumping in his ears. He needed some motivation to study and he needed it fast. He had final exams coming up the following week and he was still very much behind in his studies. His biggest concern was Organic Chemistry which was his most difficult class and his first final exam. Unless he performed miraculously well on the exam, he was probably going to get a _C_ for his final grade. Considering that his grades from his four other classes were probably all going to be _As_ , the last thing he wanted to see on his transcript was a _C._ Not only would that drastically decrease his current _4.0 GPA,_ but he had never gotten a _C_ in his life and he certainly wasn't about to start now. If he could perform decently well on the exam, he might be able to pull off a _B_ for his overall Organic Chemistry grade which would make him quite happy. But that meant he needed to get serious with his studies, and so far, he wasn't pleased with his progress.

He had hoped to study with Sandra Watkins, an extremely intelligent classmate from his Organic Chemistry class that Saturday but she had been unavailable. That led Josh to procrastinate all morning by playing video games with Andrew who was a terrible influence when it came to studying. Andrew would rather play video games all day instead of study. What he was great at was cramming. He would procrastinate until the very last minute and then cram whatever knowledge he needed to know for his exams. That was usually enough to get him the average grades that he was looking for. Josh was _not_ a last-minute crammer. He had to take his time to study the material and truly understand it in order to do well on an exam. Whenever he procrastinated until the last minute, he usually found himself in a state of extreme panic and stress which prevented him from doing his best on an exam.

That Saturday morning, Josh had told himself that he would only play an hour of games with Andrew in order to relieve his stress. Before he knew it, one hour had turned into three. That's when he packed up his books and told Andrew he needed to get the hell out of NYU. Perhaps, a different environment would help him stay focused. Or maybe, a different _friend_.

As soon as he stepped inside _Topanga's_ , he quickly scanned the crowd until he saw her. Her blonde hair was tied up into a long ponytail behind her back, and she was wearing a bright yellow apron which made her look like the sun as she rushed from one customer to the next taking orders and jotting them down in a small notepad. Josh grinned in immense amusement as he watched her. He never tired of observing her at work.

Maya and Riley had started working almost every Saturday for a few hours at _Topanga's_ for a couple months now. This made it easier for Josh to see Maya in-person at least twice a week. All he had to do was show up at _Topanga's_ on Saturdays between 12-5pm with his homework and get it done while enjoying free coffee refills from Maya and critiquing her waitressing skills. It was extremely fun to tease her while she was busy trying to work. So, on the Saturdays that he didn't have to work at his campus security job, he made sure to spend his afternoons at _Topanga's._

Taking a long sip of his coffee, Josh quickly found an empty booth and made himself comfortable. Maya hadn't seen him yet as she was busy preparing the other customers' orders. He took out his laptop, his Organic Chemistry notebook, drank some more coffee and gave himself a short pep talk: _"Come on Matthews! You can do this!"_ He whispered. " _You're gonna study hard, kick Orgo's ass and get at least a B. No way you're getting a C! How the hell will you get into med school?"_ Heaving a long sigh, he ran his hand through his hair and started studying. He had been staring at his notes for approximately ten minutes when he felt a familiar hand tousling his hair playfully.

" _Ugh_ , you need a haircut Boing. Ya looking pretty bummy right now," Maya teased him as she sat down next to him and kissed him softly. Josh grinned widely as he responded to her kiss.

"Ha, I kinda like my hair like this though," He told her. "Maybe I should leave it alone and just let it grow out. Wadja think?"

" _Ew,_ no," Maya retorted sharply as she made a disgusted face at him. "Either you get a haircut or I'm cutting it off. Seriously, ya gotta look in a mirror."

Josh chuckled. "Ok. I hear you. I won't grow it out," He relented as he playfully pulled her ponytail. "No haircut for me until after finals though. I'm kinda going crazy right now."

"Aw, I'm sorry, Boing," Maya comforted him as she rested her head on his shoulder. Josh leaned his head on hers and they sat there quietly enjoying each other's presence for a few seconds.

"What's this? Chemistry?" Maya pointed to his notes.

"Yeah, Orgo."

"Ugh. That's the class you hate right?"

"Yep," Josh replied, frowning. "No matter how hard I study, I just- I'm not getting that _A._.. it's _so_ frustrating," He sighed. "I've _never_ had a class quite like it."

"So sorry, Boing," Maya made a sad face at him. "Anything I can do to help? You need more coffee?" She took his flask and shook it in order to determine how much coffee was still inside.

"Nah, I'm good," Josh shook his head. "I drink any more coffee beyond this and I'm gonna start jumping off the walls, shirtless and screaming. It _won't_ be a pretty sight."

Maya gave him a mischievous grin as she immediately pictured a jumping, shirtless Josh.

"Oh, I beg to differ. It's _definitely_ gonna be a pretty sight," She told him. "As a matter of fact, lemme getchu some more coffee right now- I _really_ think you'll need it."

"Stop it," Josh told her with an amused chuckle.

Maya laughed. "You're right. Perhaps showing some shirtless action at your family's cafe might _not_ be the best idea. It might ruin your Boy Scout image. We can head to a different cafe though. You'll be more free to express yourself," She winked at him flirtatiously. Josh chuckled and shook his head at her in amusement.

"What time do you get off today?" He asked her in an attempt to change the topic.

"In an hour," She responded as she glanced around the cafe. "I should get back to work though. New customers are here."

"Ok. When you get off, I'll tell you how you can help me study," Josh told her.

"Ooh, _exciting._ Do I get to test you?" Maya asked.

"No," Josh responded firmly.

Maya laughed. "Why not? You know, I may not be good at _taking_ tests, but I'm pretty good at _testing_ people. You should give me a chance."

Josh grinned. "We'll see, depending on your seriousness. Get back to work. We'll talk later," He waved her off.

"K, k," Maya said with a wide grin before rushing off to her next customer.

Josh watched her fondly for a few seconds as she eagerly interacted with the other customers before returning to his studies. He buried himself in his notes and felt his anxieties slowly decrease as he started making some progress.

" _Uncle Josh!_ " He heard Riley's high-pitched voice reverberate throughout the café an hour later. She was bounding towards him with Maya following right behind. Grinning widely, he immediately got up and opened his arms wide as his niece excitedly jumped into them.

" _Ugh_ , you two should really get a room," Maya teased them. "Ya both gotta be bubbly like that _every time_ you see each other?"

"Stop being jealous, Peaches. He's _my_ uncle, not yours," Riley teased Maya.

Maya chuckled amusedly at her comment. "Well, thank God for that!" She retorted. Riley and Josh both burst out laughing at that comment.

"I didn't see you earlier when I came in," Josh told Riley. "Thought you weren't here today."

"Oh, I was in the kitchen- on dish washing duty," Riley said. "It's so much more fun than waiting tables."

"Tell me about it," Maya murmured. "My feet are _killing_ me," She pouted.

"Aw, sorry Peaches. Wish I could've helped. It _is_ pretty crowded today," Riley said as she glanced around at the customers. They were mostly high school students along with a few NYU students who were either hanging out or quietly studying.

"Katy and Topanga not here today?" Josh asked, suddenly curious as to why he hadn't seen the two ladies yet.

"Nope. Double date day," The two friends answered in unison.

"Huh?" Josh asked, confused.

"Mom and Dad are on a double date with Shawn and Katy. It's a thing that they've recently started. Apparently, they're gonna try and do it like once a month. Right Maya?" Riley asked.

"I dunno," Maya mumbled with a shrug. "I just think it's really cheesy but they're like all into it. It's really funny."

"I think it's _adorable,"_ Riley commented. "I'm happy for them."

Maya rolled her eyes. "I'm just glad we get to have some free time without any adults," She stated excitedly. "We can do _whatever_ we want, right Riles?!"

"Yeah!" Riley responded enthusiastically. "Like I can do homework with Lucas in my room without Daddy kicking Lucas out! YAY!" She grinned widely. Josh and Maya both burst out laughing at this comment.

" _Of course_ that's what you'd want to do when the adults aren't around...Oh, Riles…" Maya sighed as she gazed fondly at her best friend and shook her head gently at her.

Josh smiled warmly at his niece as he placed his arm affectionately around her. " _Don't_ listen to her," He pointed to Maya. "Never change, Riles. Ok?"

Riley nodded with a wide smile. "Ok Uncle Josh," She responded meekly. "Uncle Josh, Maya told me your finals are driving you crazy. I'm sorry."

Josh sighed. "Yeah, they are. I just have a lot to study that's all. I was hoping Maya might be able to help me out for a lil bit this afternoon actually."

"Wait, you want _Maya_ to help you study?" Riley asked him in a confused tone. "That's _not_ a good idea," She warned him.

" _Hey!_ " Maya protested as Josh chuckled.

"Sorry. I love you Peaches, but I've gotta be honest with Josh. You're _not_ the best study partner. I still love you though," Riley grinned widely at her friend. Maya frowned back at her.

"No worries, Riles. I've got a plan to deal with this one," Josh told her as he patted Maya's head gently. "So, if you don't mind, can I steal her from you for a few hours?"

"Um sure," Riley replied. "What dyou think, Peaches? Would you like to be stolen by my uncle to assist him with his academic duties?"

Maya nodded enthusiastically. "Hell yeah! Steal me Boing!" She yelled out. Riley and Josh chuckled amusedly at her reaction.

"Gee, so eager to abandon me Peaches. Ya making me sad," Riley made a sad face at her.

"Oh, you'll be alright, honey. Look who's here for you right on time- as usual!" Maya announced Lucas Friar's presence just as he approached the group. He was wearing a blue _Texas Rangers_ baseball cap with a gray T-shirt and blue jeans.

"Lucas!" Riley cried out happily as she left Josh's side and went to embrace her boyfriend. Maya grinned happily at them. "Like I said, she'll be aight," She whispered to Josh who simply chuckled.

"Hey Maya," Lucas greeted her with a warm smile.

"Huckleberry! _HA-HURRRRR_!" Maya screamed loudly in Lucas' face. Several customers, alarmed by Maya's sudden yell, turned to observe what was going on. Riley and Josh gave each other a knowing look as they sighed softly. They were both very fond of the blonde but sometimes she was just a _little_ too crazy for them.

"Well, a good afternoon to you too, Short-Stack," Lucas told Maya with an amused smile. Riley and Josh chuckled at Lucas' nickname for her.

"Hey Josh," Lucas greeted him.

"Hey Lucas," Josh responded. "How's it going?"

"Good," Lucas replied. "You?"

"Hanging in there," Josh said. "I thought it was hilarious though how you barely flinched at Maya's boisterous greeting."

"What? The _Hahurr?_ " Lucas retorted. "That's cos I'm used to it. She does it all the time. I'm sure _you_ don't have to deal with it though."

Josh chuckled. "No, I definitely do not."

"Boing's special. So, he gets a special greeting, _duh_ ," Maya stated matter-of-factly. "And in case you're wondering, Ranger-Rick, yes, it's a lot better than your greeting."

"I was...not wondering that," Lucas murmured awkwardly as Riley giggled in amusement. Josh grinned as he gazed at Maya affectionately.

"Ok then, we should probably leave you two alone," Riley stated as she looked over at Lucas. "Shall we?"

"Sure," Lucas smiled warmly at her as he took her hand. "See you later, Josh. Bye Maya."

"Bye Huckleberry!" Maya waved goodbye to him.

"Honey! Don't miss me too much," She told Riley as she approached her best friend and embraced her tightly.

"Oh, it's going to be hard Peaches, but I'll try not to," Riley responded as she tightened the embrace. "I love you Peaches!" She cried out dramatically. "I love _you,_ Honey!" Maya responded enthusiastically.

Josh and Lucas gave each other an amused look as they stood quietly and observed the two best friends. Lucas mouthed the word, "girls," to Josh before slowly shaking his head. Josh chuckled softly in response, understanding exactly what he meant.

"Alright ladies, let's wrap it up!" Lucas clapped his hands in an effort to speed up the girls' lengthy and melodramatic goodbye.

"Ok, I have to go now, Peaches," Riley said as she loosened the embrace. "I'll see you later for dinner?"

"Sure," Maya nodded.

"You coming for dinner tonight, Uncle Josh?" Riley asked him. "I think it's gonna be pizza."

"That sounds _awesome_ ," Josh replied, "but unfortunately, I can't...I still have so much to study…" He sighed.

"You still gotta eat though," Maya pointed out.

"True, but at this point, it's more like I gotta eat _and_ study simultaneously. My Orgo final is this Monday," Josh stated sadly.

"Oh, _yikes_ ," Maya muttered.

"Yeah," Josh nodded. "So, unfortunately, can't do dinner tonight, Riles, but I'll definitely be stopping by next Saturday when I'm all done. Can't wait!" He grinned.

Riley smiled. "You'll do just fine, Uncle Josh. Don't stress too much, ok? Good luck!" She reached out to give Josh a final hug.

"Thanks, Riles. Appreciate the support."

"Bye Josh. Good luck, man! You'll kill it, don't worry," Lucas encouraged him.

"Thanks, Lucas. See you later."

"Ooh, Boy, you in _trouuu-ble_ ," Maya told Josh with a teasing grin after Riley and Lucas departed.

"Tell me about it," Josh muttered, shaking his head sadly. "Now you see why I haven't gotten a haircut and I'm looking like a bum?"

Maya laughed. "Yep! But let's get down to business. How can I help you make some progress so you don't fail on Monday?"

" _Great_ question, Ms. Hunter! Thought you'd never ask!" Josh replied excitedly. "I just need you to sit down, _quietly_ , next to me for a couple hours or so as I study."

"Huh?" Maya was confused. "That's it? That's _all_ you need me to do?"

"Yep," Josh nodded as he ushered her into the booth to sit right next to him.

"I've been lacking some motivation to study lately probably cos I've been too stressed out." He explained. "And hanging around the library and Andrew did _not_ help. So, I figured, why not try Maya? Maybe she might be my lucky charm. And so, here I am! _Please be my lucky charm._ Otherwise, I'm _so screwed,_ " Josh pleaded as he dropped his head down on the table and let out a frustrated sigh.

"Oh, you poor thing," Maya said as she patted his back soothingly. She had never seen him so frustrated before. It was a bit concerning but also highly amusing to watch. "Don't worry Boing, I gotchu," She told him. "You're gonna ace this exam. _Trust_ me."

"Ok!" Josh said brightly as he sat straight up and slowly let out a breath. "I think I'm feeling better already. Thanks, Maya," He smiled at her.

"You're welcome Baby Matthews!" Maya exclaimed.

" _Ugh_ , please don't call me that again," Josh told her. Maya burst out laughing. "We'll...debate that later on," She responded.

"No. No debate. Don't call me that again, please. Your father, I cannot stop. But you, hopefully I can. I'm a Big Matthews now. People have to _respect_ that," He responded as he pounded his chest twice with his fist like a gorilla.

"Oh my gosh, I'm done," Maya murmured before bursting into an uproarious laughter. She found it hilarious that he felt so strongly about that nickname that he literally saw it as a threat to his manhood. Josh grinned at her reaction. He loved making her laugh.

"Ok, _Big Matthews_ ," Maya responded with an amused grin. "Since you feel so strongly about this, I won't call you Baby Matthews again. From now on, I'll only refer to you with the following nicknames- _Boing, Big Man Boing_ \- BMB for short - or _The Terminator_ just to boost your ego. Does that sound good?"

"Oh, hell yeah!" Josh replied enthusiastically as he gave her a thumbs-up.

Maya chuckled. "Ok, glad we got past that. Ya gotta study now."

"Yep! Ok, let's get to it!" Josh rubbed his hands together as he quickly thought about his study plan. "Alright, so here's my phone," He handed Maya his phone. "You can watch some _Netflix_ so you don't get bored while I study. Sounds good?"

"That sounds perfect!" Maya grinned widely. "I can finally catch up on _Red Planet Diaries_!"

Josh chuckled. "Alright, I'm gonna start studying now," He told her as he grabbed his notes.

"Ok, you can do it, _BMB_! _Terminate_ this study session, and _then, terminate_ that exam. Because, after all, they don't call you _The Terminator_ for nothing," Maya cheered him on.

Josh was grinning from ear to ear as he nodded his head appreciatively. "That's right! You got it girl. I _shall_ terminate Orgo," He told her confidently. Maya chuckled in immense amusement and gave him a boisterous high-five.

For the next hour and a half, she left him to focus on his studies as she binge-watched the newest season of _The Red Planet Diaries_ on his phone _._ Occasionally, she would glance over to see how he was doing and admire how engrossed he was in his studies. It was like nothing else existed for him. If only _she_ could study like that she'd probably be getting straight _As_ too! But there were a few times where she caught him watching her briefly from the corner of his eye. In those moments, she couldn't help but feel warm and fuzzy inside as she pretended not to notice his gaze.

She was about to watch the next episode of _The Red Planet Diaries_ when a new text message notification popped up on his phone. Under any other circumstances, she would have ignored it. After all, his text messages were none of her business considering they weren't even an official couple yet and were technically still playing the "long game." But there was no way she could ignore this message. Her curiosity was too strong. It was a text from Anna. Her heart racing, Maya clicked on the message and quickly read it:

_**Anna:** _ _Thanks Josh! Appreciate your encouragement and support. Good luck to you too!_

Maya sat frozen as she re-read the message. It didn't make any sense. What "encouragement and support" was she talking about? Maya immediately realized that in order to understand the text, she needed to read Josh and Anna's previous text message exchanges. Propelled by her curiosity, she scrolled up on the text message thread and read the previous messages which had been sent just the day before:

_**Anna [Yesterday. 5:24 PM]:** _ _Hi Josh! I know we said our goodbyes like two months ago and so I promise, this is the last time I'll bother you (lol), but just wanted to let you know that I got accepted by Columbia! They originally waitlisted me but just heard from them that I've been taken off the waitlist! So, looks like I'll be coming to NYC for the Fall! Anyways, like I said, I definitely won't be bothering you, but I just wanted to share the good news because it feels like a miracle that I actually got in! Hope you're doing well, and wishing you all the best :)_

_**Josh [Yesterday. 5:30 PM]:** _ _Hey Anna! That's great news! Really happy for you. Congrats! You def deserve it. Congrats on getting into your dream school :) And yes, we did say our goodbyes, but if you ever have any questions about college pls don't hesitate to ask. I have a feeling you'll do just fine though. Good luck with everything!_

_**Anna [Today. 5:10 PM]:** _ _Thanks Josh! Appreciate your encouragement and support. Good luck to you too!_

Maya's heart was pounding as she read the messages over and over until the words became embedded in her brain. She was panicking but she wasn't quite sure why. _Was it because Anna had bothered to reach out to Josh after they had already said their goodbyes two months ago? Was it because she couldn't wait to tell him that soon she would be attending college in the same city he was? Was it because Maya didn't believe Anna for a second when she kept repeating that she wouldn't "bother" Josh anymore? Was it because Josh also sounded really happy in his response about the fact that he and his ex-girlfriend would soon be attending college in the same city? Was it because Josh had basically encouraged Anna to keep texting him by offering to answer any "questions" she had about college? Was it because Josh hadn't mentioned any of this exchange to Maya even though he had had a full twenty-four hours to do so?_

Her mind was reeling with questions as her doubts, fears and insecurities re-awakened with full force within her. Was she acting crazy and making what was probably an innocent text message exchange a much bigger issue than it really was? After all, on the surface, the messages weren't indicative of anything malicious or inappropriate. It's not like Josh declared his undying love for Anna. He simply congratulated her on getting into her dream school and offered to answer any potential questions she might have once she started college. Was Maya reading too much into the messages because of her own personal insecurities? Hadn't she told Josh that she _trusted_ him _completely?_ And yet, here she was reading his texts without his knowledge and thinking the _worst_ about a couple messages between him and his ex. Maybe it wasn't as bad as her feelings, instincts and her gut immediately wanted her to believe. _Why_ was she panicking? _Why_ was she so afraid? _Why_ was she so awfully pessimistic? _Why_ was she doubting him without even hearing what he had to say?

_Oh my gosh, what the hell is wrong with me? I HAVE to get out of here...I'm going crazy..._ Maya thought as she put Josh's phone down and grabbed her bag.

"Um, I- I have to leave now," She told Josh in a shaky voice, while avoiding eye-contact with him. Josh placed his notes down and glanced at his watch. "Oh wow, it's 5 already! Dinner is probably starting at 6 right?" He asked her.

"Yep," Maya muttered as she immediately got up and silently prayed that he wouldn't notice anything amiss with her behavior and start questioning her about it. That was something he seemed to be really good at.

"Ok. I'm probably gonna head out too," Josh said as he started packing his books. "I'll walk you to Cor and Topanga's and then I'll head off to NYU."

" _No!"_ Maya said sharply as she felt her heart pounding. Her sharp, panicked tone caught Josh's attention as he glanced over at her and observed her curiously.

_CRAP!_ Maya thought as she felt his observant gaze piercing through her. _I've got to get it together! Now he knows something's wrong. UGH._

"Maya, is everything ok?" He asked her after a few seconds of awkward silence between them. Oh, how she _hated_ that question sometimes. All she wanted was to leave and to go somewhere _far_ away from him and his _stupid, penetrating eyes._ For once, why couldn't life be simple when she wanted it to be? _Dammit._

"Uh, yeah…" She muttered as she thought of a good lie to explain why she didn't want him to walk her back to Cory and Topanga's apartment.

"You still have a lot to study, Josh," She told him. "You don't need to walk me. Just go back to school. I'll be fine," She gave him a small, tense smile.

"It's ok, Maya," Josh insisted as he smiled warmly at her. "It's just a five minute walk to Cor's right? Maybe I'll probably stop by and grab a slice of pizza. All this studying has made me pretty hungry. Thanks for helping me out today by the way. I'm finally making some progress and it's all thanks to you."

" _Dammit,_ Josh, I just want to leave _alone._ By myself. Without _you._ I mean, can I do that?! Or do I need permission for every movement I make now?!" She stated in a low, harsh, biting tone. She was getting angry which usually made it difficult for her to control her actions _and_ her words.

_Woah! What the hell…_ Josh thought as he stood there extremely confused and slightly terrified. It was his first time hearing her speak to him in such a cold, angry, bitter tone and it scared him. He couldn't fathom what he had possibly done wrong for her to act this way. As far as he knew, everything had been just fine between them just a few minutes earlier.

"Maya, what's going on?" He asked her in a worried tone. "Can you please tell me so maybe we can talk about it? Obviously, something's wrong."

" _No shit, Sherlock_ ," Maya muttered sarcastically under her breath as she sat back down in the booth and rolled her eyes. She couldn't leave because he was standing at the end of the booth and basically blocking her exit. She thought about just shoving past him and getting out, but _now_ she was angry, and her fighting spirit had taken over.

"Maya _, please_ , just tell me what's wrong," Josh pleaded with her again anxiously as he sat down a few spaces from her.

" _Any_ recent text messages on this phone that you wanna tell me about, Mr. Boy Scout?" Maya asked him as she grabbed his phone and tossed it to him.

Josh simply stared at her completely baffled. "You went through my text messages?" He asked her in slight shock.

"Wrong answer, Josh!" Maya shot back angrily. "I asked you if there are any _recent_ messages that you wanna tell me about. If not, then move so I can get _the hell out of here_ like I've been trying to do for the past five minutes now!"

Josh sighed in frustration as he opened his text messages and quickly surveyed them. When he saw Anna's message at the top- a new one that Maya had apparently read- his heart sank. He had completely forgotten about Anna's messages even though their communication had occurred just the day before. After all, he had an Orgo exam coming up soon. That's practically all he could think about. But he now understood why Maya was acting the way she was. The mystery was finally solved.

"I'm guessing you saw Anna's message about getting into Columbia," He stated.

" _Wow,_ Captain Obvious, you're just _working_ it today. Keep up the _good_ work, Mr. Smarty Pants!" Maya shot back in a biting, sarcastic tone which made Josh smile in amusement. He knew that wasn't the appropriate response considering the circumstances, but he couldn't help himself. He had always found her sarcasm to be extremely amusing.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you about these messages, Maya," He quickly apologized. "To be honest, I _completely_ forgot about them. And that's the God honest truth. You might not have noticed this about me yet but I kinda have a one-track mind when it comes to exams- _especially_ the major ones. They're like _all_ I can think about. My brain literally doesn't have space for _anything_ else until the exams are over. So, I really _did_ forget about this even though it was just yesterday when she initially texted. It wasn't because I was trying to hide the messages or doing anything inappropriate. If I were, I wouldn't have given you my phone- and these messages would have been deleted by now. Think about it," He told her.

"Well, just so you know, I wasn't trying to go through your messages," Maya retorted. "I'm not some crazy girl- although I know sometimes, I kinda act like it." Josh grinned in amusement at this comment. Her self-awareness was one of the qualities he admired about her. "Ms. You-Know-Who's message popped up when I was watching my show and I got curious, so I snooped. Don't blame me," She muttered.

Josh chuckled. "No, I don't blame you," He responded. "I totally get it. What I _do_ want you to understand though Maya is that these messages- they don't mean _anything_ to me in the grand scheme of things. I mean, am I happy for Anna that she got into Columbia? Of course I am. She's always wanted to go to an Ivy League school, and I know this is a dream come true for her which is probably why she told me about it. It's the kind of thing you tell everyone you know cos you're so excited about it, you know what I mean? But at the end of the day, this is _not_ what I care about. Anna's gonna go to Columbia and live _her_ life, and I'm gonna live mine right here _with you, my family, and my NYU friends_. That's my list. _These_ are the people I _really_ care about. Anna's nowhere _near_ that list. Do I wish her well and want her to succeed? Of course, I do! But I'm definitely not thinking about her, or obsessing over her messages or trying to communicate with her. I hope I'm making sense _and_ also addressing your major concerns..."

Maya sighed and took a few seconds to process everything he had just said before responding. "So, you and Anna haven't been chatting it up for a while now?" She asked him warily.

" _No,_ " Josh answered. "I haven't reached out to her since we said our goodbyes like two months ago- and she hasn't either. Like I said, the only reason she reached out now was probably because she was super excited about getting into her dream school. That's it."

"Well, she's certainly excited about being near you in New York City that's for sure." Maya pointed out. "She's also excited about your _encouragement and support_ considering you basically offered to be her college counselor and answer any questions she might have about college. Wanna explain that generous offer you made her?"

Josh sighed as he ran his hand through his hair. "That was me trying to be nice Maya. I would have made that offer to anyone who texted me. College was a rough adjustment for me in the beginning- as you know- so I know that it can be tough. So, I wanted her to know that if she ever had any questions about the process, I'd be happy to answer them. I made the same offer to all my high school friends. I'm definitely _not_ trying to be her college counselor or chat with her 24/7. In fact, I can block her number _right now_ on my phone if that's going to ease your concerns. It _really_ doesn't matter to me," He told her.

"I don't want you to block her number," Maya answered. " _God._ That's just gonna make me look crazy and paranoid which is _never_ a good look." She bit her lip as she thought about her next words. "Can you just tell me if she texts you again and what she says? So, I don't have to find out about it the way I found out about this one?" Maya asked him.

"Of course!" Josh responded emphatically. "In fact, I'll _show you_ any new texts she sends in the future along with my responses just so we can maintain complete transparency between us. And I really doubt this will happen because like I said, she's completely moved on, but if it ever looks like she's texting me a lot, then I _am_ going to block her or tell her politely to stop texting. And, I'll let you know if that ever happens. Sounds good?"

Maya nodded. "Sorry Josh. I know I told you I trusted you completely but guess I still got some work to do on that, huh?" She muttered softly.

"It's ok, Maya, I understand." Josh responded. "Growing up with an absent parent makes it harder to trust people sometimes- especially if that parent really hurt you. I learned that in Psychology."

Maya sighed and glanced down at her fingers as she slowly let out a breath that she hadn't even realized she was holding.

" _My_ job is to make it _easier_ to trust me," Josh said as he grabbed her hand and squeezed it gently. "Again, I'm sorry that you found out about these messages the way you did. Blame Organic Chemistry for taking over my mind. This won't happen again, I assure you. I'll always give you a heads-up if she ever reaches out to me again. And I certainly _won't_ be reaching out to her. I have absolutely no reason to. Ok?"

"Ok," Maya responded softly.

"Remember how I said I have a one-track mind when it comes to my exams?" He said. Maya nodded. "Well, interestingly, I also have that when it comes to girls," He told her with an amusing grin. "I have no idea how some guys can be getting chummy with two, three, or even four girls at a time. It's like where do they get the energy?! One girl is enough work let alone three or four, you know what I mean?" Maya grinned amusedly at this comment.

"Anyways, what I'm _trying_ to say is that you don't have anything to worry about, kiddo. Between college and everything else that's going on in my life, I only got enough energy for _one person_ \- and even with her, sometimes I can't keep up. I mean, this girl, she's a _lotta_ work you know what I'm saying…?"

"Shut up," Maya retorted as she punched his arm playfully. Josh burst out laughing and pulled her into an embrace. He patted her back gently for a few seconds before letting her go.

"You still mad at me?" He asked her softly as he poked her cheek playfully.

Maya shook her head no. "No, not mad. I'm just gonna be watching you like a hawk that's all. Be careful Boing or _else,_ " She told him in a mock threatening voice.

Josh laughed. "Yeah, about that, remind me _never_ to get on your bad side cos, girl, you _scary_ ," He told her.

Maya giggled. "Duh. Thought you woulda realized that by now."

Josh chuckled. "Anyways, can I walk you to Cor and Topanga's now? You not gonna bite my head off?"

Maya pretended to think about it for a second. "Mmmm...sure, I guess," She shrugged as she tried to appear nonchalant.

Josh grinned. " _Awesome_. Let's get outta here then."

On their way out, Maya waved goodbye to Melanie and Beatrice, the new waitresses that Topanga had hired to help out at the cafe on weekdays and a few weekends whenever the girls and Katy weren't available. As they held each other's hand and made the short five minute walk to Cory and Topanga's apartment, Maya made a silent promise to herself to work on trusting him more. She wasn't proud of the way she had acted that evening and hoped to do better next time if a similar situation ever arose. After all, she knew she had her issues, but she didn't want him to think she was completely crazy or broken _._ She wanted to do better and be better for him.

"So, you coming over tomorrow to study?" She asked him.

"Mm...depends. I'm trying to study with one of my classmates, Sandra, who's like _really_ good at Orgo. So, if she and I finish up early then maybe I'll stop by."

Maya raised an eyebrow at him. "Sandra? _Another_ girl?" She asked him suspiciously.

"Seriously, Maya?" Josh stated in an alarmed tone.

Maya giggled. "I'm just kidding," She said as she grinned at him mischievously.

"Oh, thank God!" Josh muttered as he breathed a huge sigh of relief. He was _not_ emotionally ready to have yet another long conversation about _another_ girl.

"The panicked, scaredy-cat look you just had on your face was awesome though," Maya teased him. Josh simply shook his head at her in amusement.

"Come tomorrow to study," Maya urged him softly as she gazed affectionately at him. Josh felt his heart fluttering as he returned her gaze.

"Ok," He easily acquiesced to her demand.

"I'm gonna have brownies so you'll have a study snack," She told him excitedly.

Josh raised his eyebrows at her in surprise. "You baking them?" He asked her curiously.

"Hell, no," Maya responded. "My Mom is. How many times I gotta tell you I don't do that?"

Josh burst out laughing. "Ok, got it. Will let you know when I'm coming."

"Ok," Maya nodded.

They soon reached Cory and Topanga's apartment and quickly headed inside in order to grab some pizza before Cory or Auggie ate them all.


	20. Chapter 20

_He was sinking_.  _He was doing his best to swim but the force of the waves was too strong. They kept pushing him down until he felt himself drowning. But he couldn't drown! He had to save her!_

" _Josh! Help me!" He heard her screams reverberate in the darkness. He was panicking. Immersed in the dank, deep water, he felt powerless...helpless...He started to thrash his arms around wildly in a desperate attempt to escape the immense sea of water that had imprisoned him...that was suffocating him...that had stolen her. Where was she?! He had to save her! But he couldn't. He couldn't even save himself as the towering wall of water swallowed and utterly buried him._

Josh opened his eyes slowly as the remnants of his nightmare receded into his subconscious. He breathed a sigh of relief once he realized that it had all been a dream. Everything had felt so  _real_ …He let out a small yawn and stretched out his arms before sitting up on the bed.  _That's_ when he saw her.

 _Woah...What's she doing here?_ He thought to himself in shock as he gazed at her. Maya was sleeping contentedly near the edge of the bed with her body facing sideways towards him. She was wearing a blue, large T-shirt and a matching blue, loose pajama pants with white polka dots. She was lying so close to the edge of the bed that Josh was afraid that she might fall off if he made any sudden movements. It was almost as if she had wanted to get close to him - hence, the reason why she was sleeping on his bed in the first place- but not  _too_ close.

Josh was currently staying in the guest room at Cory and Topanga's apartment for the first month and a half of his three-month long summer vacation from school. He had gotten a summer job at  _NYU-Langone Medical Center-_ the teaching hospital of  _NYU School of Medicine-_ which kept him busy during the week. When not working, he spent his free time helping with waiter services at  _Topanga's_ Cafe _,_ Auggie's baseball practices, games and homework as well as Maya and Riley's academics. He was usually exhausted by the end of the day due to his extremely busy schedule, but he wouldn't have it any other way. The fact that he was now able to spend a lot more time with his family and Maya made it all worth it.

Riley and Maya finished their first year of high school during the last week of June. They were excited about officially starting their summer break with the annual family trip to  _Six Flags_ amusement park in New Jersey. Their group of friends were coming along of course, and since Josh was staying over, Cory and Topanga had invited him to join as well.

The parents- Cory, Topanga, Shawn and Katy - were particularly excited about Riley and Maya's report card grades and were eager to reward their daughters with the trip to  _Six Flags_. Both girls improved a great deal in their end of year grades. Riley had always been a straight _A_  student, but she struggled with Spanish during her first semester in high school. Josh decided to tutor her when he found out about his niece's struggles since he loved Spanish and was almost fluent in the language after having studied it throughout high school. Due to Josh's assistance, Riley ended up with a  _B+_  in Spanish as her final grade which made her quite happy. Maya, on the other hand, had no issues with Spanish. In fact, it was her second best subject and one of the two  _A_ grades on her report card. The other subject where she got an  _A_ was Art. All her other grades were  _Bs._ That was a cause for celebration considering she had been getting mostly  _C grades_  before Josh started his weekly tutoring sessions with her.

Shawn and Katy invited Josh to dinner the week before the  _Six Flags_ trip and commended him for his help with Maya's academics. "I've gotta say, Baby Matthews, you're doing a pretty good job so far," Shawn told him. "To be honest with you, I was skeptical of all those weekly tutoring sessions. Wasn't sure how much  _studying_ was actually getting done, you know what I'm saying?" Shawn chuckled softly to himself as Maya rolled her eyes and gave Josh an amused look. " _Anyway_ ," Shawn continued, "Katy told me to be patient and trust ya, so I did," He beamed at his wife as he said this. "Thanks for all your help with her. These are like the best grades you've ever gotten, right kid?" He asked Maya. "Nah. I definitely did a lot better in kindergarten," Maya joked. They burst out in laughter at this comment. "She did most of the work," Josh stated as he gazed at Maya affectionately. "I'm proud of you, Maya. And you should be proud of yourself, too. You keep up these grades, you're definitely gonna get into NYU." "You think so?" Maya asked him excitedly. "I  _know_ so," Josh responded with a bright smile.

As he now sat on his bed and observed Maya for a few minutes as she slept, Josh couldn't help but grin widely in amusement.  _When had she arrived in his room? And how had she managed to get into his bed without waking him up?_  He wasn't a deep sleeper.  _Must have been that crazy dream I was having,_ he thought.  _I was so immersed in it that I didn't sense her when she came._

She had been in his room the night before, hanging out on his bed and chatting with him for almost half an hour before wishing him goodnight and heading off to Riley's room to sleep. Ever since Josh moved into the guest room for the summer, Maya quickly established that routine. Whenever she was sleeping over at Riley's, she would always stop by his room right before going to sleep. This was the first time however that Josh had discovered her  _on his bed,_   _sleeping,_ the next morning.

He glanced at the time and date on his phone:  _ **7:00am, Saturday, June 25, 2016**_. It was time for him to go for his morning run before the day got busier and hotter. He didn't want to wake her up though since she was sleeping so peacefully. He decided to make her more comfortable instead before heading off. He grabbed his comforter and draped it around her. Then he did his best to move her gently away from the edge of the bed without waking her. She made a couple of inaudible sounds and stretched her arms as Josh moved her, but she didn't awake. Josh stared at her fondly for a few seconds with a small smile on his face before slowly getting off the bed and heading to the bathroom to change. He quickly came out dressed in his sweatpants and a grey NYU T-shirt. Grabbing his water bottle, keys, phone and earphones, he glanced at Maya one last time before heading towards the door. He opened the door and was about to exit when he heard her voice.

"Josh?" She called out to him. He turned around. She was fully awake and was sitting up on his bed, yawning and stretching. Josh grinned amusedly as he approached her.

"Well, a good morning to you, Lil Ferret," He teased her. "Care to explain what you're doing in my bed? Almost had a heart attack when I saw ya," He sat down facing her. Maya grinned. "Uh, sorry about that," She muttered as she ran her hand through her hair. "I kinda couldn't sleep last night. I think it's just cos I'm super excited about  _Six Flags_ today _._ Woke up at like 4 and I was just tossing and turning- which of course made no difference to Riles. She sleeps like a log." Josh chuckled at that comment.

"Anyways," Maya continued, "Couldn't sleep. Was bored out of my mind just lying there. So, I thought- I wonder if Boing's awake? Lemme see. It was like 5am so I knew you probably weren't but hey, I was bored. So, I texted you and of course, you didn't respond."

"You texted me? I didn't see anything," Josh said as he checked his phone.

" _Yep_ , I definitely did. I was like,  _'Boiiing! You up? I can't sleep. Sad face emoji'"_  She made a sad face at him.

"Aww," Josh intoned as he grinned at her. "Turns out my phone was in  _airplane mode_ this whole time.  _No_ idea how that happened. Must have clicked on it by accident last night. So, I'm just seeing your message now. Sorry, kiddo."

"It's ok," Maya responded. "You were sleeping anyway so it's not like you woulda seen it at 5am when I sent it.  _Anywho,_ long story short, when you didn't respond, I was like, eh, he's sleeping but I'm gonna go there anyway, cos why not? It's not every day that I can sneak over to Boing's room at 5am in the morning. Gotta take my chance!  _Adventure time!_   _Whoop whoop! In Boing's room! Whoop whoop! At 5am! Whoop whoop!_ " She sang out loud as she raised her arms high in the air and waved them from side to side while rocking her head and shoulders.

Josh chuckled as he watched her in immense amusement. "What's that? Your adventure dance?" He asked her. "Yep!" She replied as she continued her "dance" motions.

 _I swear, she gets cuter every day. How is it possible?_ Josh thought to himself as he gazed at her affectionately. His emotions were in overdrive. When she acted spontaneous and silly like this, he couldn't take his eyes off her.

"Ok, I'm done!" Maya announced with a teasing grin as she finally ended her adventure dance. "So yeah, where was I?" She continued her story. "I came into your room, and got on your bed, and here you were-  _deep_ in sleep. I mean, I actually thought I was gonna wake you up cos I wasn't being  _super_ quiet or anything, but you were  _gone_. Like, snoring and everything."

"Wait  _what?!"_ Josh cried out in shock. "I was  _snoring?!"_ He asked her. Maya gave him a mischievous grin and hesitated for a moment before responding. " _Maybe…"_ She said cryptically.

"Maya, you've  _gotta_ tell me if you heard me snore," Josh stated firmly. "That's like my worst nightmare. I've  _never_ snored in my life, so I need to know if I've  _actually_  started doing that. Please tell me?" He pleaded with her. Maya giggled in amusement at how flustered he was getting. She had no idea he was so sensitive about snoring. She figured she should be kind to him and tell him the truth before he had an anxiety attack.

"I'm just messin' with you Boing. You didn't snore," She told him.

"You sure?" He asked her.

"Yeah," She nodded. "Trust me, if you did, that will be on my top five teasing list seeing as you're pretty freaked out about it. But it's no fun teasing you if you  _didn't_ do it- so, yeah, you haven't started snoring  _yet…_ we'll see what happens in five years when you're an old man," She teased him.

Josh burst out laughing. "Hopefully, it will  _never_ happen. But, anyway, glad that at least I'm not doing it  _now._ Thanks for letting me know," He grinned at her.

"Sure, no worries," Maya responded. "I can come and check your snoring status again at 5am tomorrow if you want?" She suggested teasingly.

Josh laughed. "Nah, it's not that serious," He replied. "But thanks for the offer."

"Alright. Your loss," Maya grinned amusedly at him.

"Actually, I normally don't sleep that deep," Josh admitted to her. "I was having a crazy dream. So, it just kinda messed me up…"

"What was your dream?" Maya asked him curiously.

Josh sighed as he tried to recollect the details. "It was  _really_  weird," He stated. "I was like drowning in an ocean or something like that. But you were there too. And I could hear you  _screaming-_ like begging me to save you. And I was freaking out cos  _all_ I wanted to do was save you, but I couldn't. I couldn't swim past the waves and I just kept sinking. And then, just when it seemed like I was about to die, I woke up…crazy dream, huh?"

"Yeah, that's really scary," Maya said, shuddering. "But I think I know why you had that dream."

"Really? Why?" Josh asked, curious.

"Remember two nights ago we were playing  _Would You Rather?_ And I asked you if you could save  _one person-_  either your Mom or me from a sinking ship, who would you save?"

"Oh yeah," Josh chuckled. "I forgot about that."

"Uh-huh. I bet you did. Your response to that question is why you had this dream. Your conscience is punishing you for abandoning Maya to die and choosing to save your Mama instead. Hope you continue to feel guilty about that choice,  _Loser_ ," Maya teased him. Josh burst out laughing as he shook his head in amusement.

"Ok, for the  _millionth_  time, I'm sorry that I didn't choose you. But that's my  _mother,_ Maya. I can't just let her  _die_. Would you  _really_ respect a guy who just let their Mom die? Think about it. Imagine how that guy would treat  _you_. Trust me, you want a guy that's gonna treat his Mom like a queen. Just a little advice for your dating life," He told her.

"I don't need to imagine how  _that_ guy would treat me, cos  _that_ guy will leave me to  _die_. So yeah,  _lucky_ me. Guess I found a  _great_ guy, huh?! Cos, now I'm  _dead_! And  _that_ guy gets to go on living his life with a new girl and his Mama. How  _wonderful!_ " Maya shot back sarcastically.

Josh chuckled at her comment. "Fair point," He said as he thought about her analysis. "Didn't quite think about it that way," He grinned at her in amusement. "I see you're still kinda, low-key mad at me for my answer to that question," He observed.

Maya rolled her eyes at him. "I'm  _great_ ," She responded with a wide grin. "I'm still alive- no thanks to  _you_. Don't need no knight-in-shining-armor to save me. I'm gonna save  _myself._ You keep having your guilty, crazy dreams though. Just don't come crying to me about 'em. Maybe you can call your  _Ma_!" Josh burst out laughing at this comment as he shook his head at her in immense amusement.

"Why do I have a feeling you're  _never_ gonna let this go? No amount of apologizing is  _ever_ gonna make up for that answer, is there?" He asked her.

Maya shrugged as she grinned at him teasingly. "I got nu'in more to say to you on this topic, Boing. You do you. That's  _all_  I gotta say. Hope you're happy with your new girl, cos I'm gonna be chilling in heaven with a  _better_ guy after you leave me to die. So, that's that. Buh-bye. Or as they say in  _Espanol- A-dios, muchacho!"_

Josh chuckled. "Alright then. Let's move on from this topic. You didn't finish your story by the way- I'm curious to hear the rest," He told her. "So, you came in, noticed I was asleep, and then, what happened? You decided to sleep over here too?"

Maya grinned. "No, I wasn't planning to fall asleep  _here_  actually. I mean, I was just gonna sneak in here, check up on you and then go back. But then, I ended up staring at you and then I was lying on the bed and then I started getting sleepy  _and_ that was it. Before I knew it, I was a goner."

Josh smiled warmly at her. "I just wanna focus on the part where you were  _staring_ at me while I was asleep. Just thought you should know that I find that to be a  _lil_  creepy but also  _quite_ romantic, Ms. Hunter," Josh winked at her as he said this. Maya rolled her eyes as she tried- unsuccessfully- to stop herself from blushing.

"Whatever," She muttered as she avoided eye-contact with him.

"Just so you know," Josh continued, "It was a pleasant surprise to see your beautiful face this morning when I woke up-  _especially_ after that crazy dream I had. It was like the calm after the storm you know?"

Maya's blush deepened and her heart raced as she listened to him. Without thinking, she covered her head with his comforter so that he wouldn't be able to see her pink face and start teasing her about it. Josh laughed when he saw what she was trying to do. He moved closer to her on the bed and placed his arm affectionately around her without removing the comforter, which was draped over her head and made her look like a white ghost.

"Don't worry, Lil Ferret, I'm not gonna tease you as mercilessly as you usually tease me so no need to hide. I'm a little nicer when it comes to teasing, haven't you noticed?" He asked her.

"Still not taking this off," Maya muttered from underneath the comforter. Josh chuckled amusedly. "Ok," He replied. "Anyway, this goes without saying, but, as happy as I am that you randomly showed up in my bed this morning- let's not make a habit of this? Otherwise, your dad will  _certainly_ kill me and then after I'm dead, you'll have to answer _lots_  of uncomfortable questions from our family. So yeah, let's try to avoid that as much as possible." Maya giggled at his comment before removing the comforter from her head.

"Oh,  _there_ you are!" Josh cried out happily. "There's still a little pinkish blush on your cheeks though- like right here," He pinched her right cheek.

" _Stop!"_ Maya scolded him as she chuckled in amusement. "What time is it? Talking about uncomfortable questions, I should probably get going before your niece realizes how long I've been gone and starts asking me lots of uncomfortable questions."

Josh grinned in amusement before checking his watch. " _Shoot,_ it's almost 8," He told her. "I need to go running  _now_ , otherwise, it's never gonna happen."

"Oh yeah, I'm sorry, Boing," Maya said. "I'm a  _terrible_  influence on your highly disciplined life, aren't I?"

Josh chuckled. "Yeah, you are- but it's ok," He stated. "If I  _really_ wanted to stick to my 7am running time, I woulda just kicked you out and left, but, certain things in life are more important than always sticking to a perfect schedule. Let's just say, you help me to remember that- and that's a good thing. Maybe, that's why I'm still keeping you around," He teased her.

Maya burst out laughing at that comment. " _Wow,_ " She replied teasingly. "Ok,  _Jerk_ , thanks for keeping me around! Glad I'm serving your needs. Feel free to discard me in the recycling bin when you're done with me so I can help the next jerk that comes along."

Josh laughed loudly at that comment for a few seconds as he shook his head amusedly at her. "Well that escalated quickly," He said after his laughter subsided. "We  _literally_  just went from a friendly convo, to flirty and teasing, and then to me being called a  _jerk_ all in like the last fifteen minutes. It's  _always_ an exciting conversation with you Maya. I swear, I never know what to expect. I gotta always be on top of my game," He grinned at her.

"Well your game  _sucks,_ " Maya shot back at him with a teasing grin. "Remember that Joshua Matthews."

" _Ouch!"_ Josh responded with a pained look on his face. "That- that  _hurt._ " Maya giggled in amusement at his facial expression. "You know," Josh continued, "I feel like that one comment just destroyed  _years_ of confidence and swag that I've been building up. Ya gotta apologize girl. You're  _destroying_  me right now." Maya chuckled before hopping off his bed and stretching her arms and legs while letting out a loud yawn.

"Whatever, Boing," She said after her yawn. "I gotta go. You'll be aight." Josh grinned widely as he also got off the bed and faced her.

"Quick question, Ms. Hunter," He said as he came closer to her. "Would you still say that my game sucks if I did  _this_?" He gently moved a few strands of her hair behind her ear and simply stood gazing into her eyes with his fingers lightly caressing her cheek. Maya's heart was racing with anticipation as she stood there gazing at him and waiting for him to take the next step. After a few seconds of silent gazing, she spoke up.

"You're not gonna kiss me?" She asked him.

"No," Josh responded in a soft, deep voice. "I just want to look at you. Seeing you is enough," He smiled warmly at her.

 _Oh my gosh,_ Maya thought as she felt her heart pounding and the butterflies in her stomach multiply a million times. She had to turn away from the intensity of his gaze just to catch her breath and regain her stability. She felt like she was drowning in a whirlwind of emotions that were different and  _stronger_ than anything she had experienced before.  _What the heck was happening to her?_

"You ok there, kiddo?" Josh asked her teasingly. "You still think my game sucks?"

 _Get yourself together, Maya_! She thought to herself as she inhaled a series of deep breaths and tried to calm her racing heart. None of this seemed to work however. She was a puddle of emotions that were so much newer, deeper, scarier and a lot more intense. And she had no idea how to control them.

"Maya?" Josh called out to her again in a worried tone. "You ok?"

She turned around to face him and gave him a bright smile. "Yeah I'm good," She said, knowing very well that he would easily see through the lie but not really caring at that moment. She just needed to get the heck away from him so she could finally get her body and emotions under control. "Have a good run, Boing. I'll see you later when we're going to  _Six Flags_."

"Ok," Josh responded as he gave her a curious look.  _Something's clearly bothering her but I'm not going to push it now._ He thought to himself.  _Plenty of time later._

Before Josh could say another word, she was gone. Sighing in slight frustration and praying that he hadn't screwed anything up with her yet again, Josh headed off for his run.


	21. Chapter 21

_She was avoiding him!_ Josh could hardly believe that this was _actually_ happening. Maya Hunter was avoiding _him_ \- _Joshua Matthews._ His current reality was officially crazier than his dreams. He was numb, shocked and confused so much so that he could barely pay attention to Auggie and Ava's incessant bickering as the two fought over which ride to go on first.

Josh was in charge of Auggie and Ava once the family arrived at _Six Flags Great Adventure._ Auggie was so excited that Josh was coming along with them for the trip. As soon as they arrived, he begged Josh to accompany him and Ava to explore the various rides. Topanga was extremely grateful that Josh was willing to spend his day with the kids. Freed from babysitting, she and Katy happily teamed up and headed to the pool. Cory and Shawn were inseparable - as usual- as they happily ran off to embark on their favorite rides. The last group was the "gang" of friends- Riley, Maya, Lucas, Zay, Farkle and Smackle. They also headed off together happily chatting among themselves and eager to explore the park.

Josh began to suspect that Maya might be avoiding him when he arrived at the breakfast table after his run earlier that morning and discovered that she wasn't there. "Where's Maya?" He asked Riley curiously as he sat down next to her and grabbed a slice of bacon.

"She said she had to go back home and change even though she has a ton of clothes in my room. I tried to convince her to stay for breakfast, but no luck. I dunno. It was strange," Riley told him as she reflected over her conversation with Maya. "It was like she was in a hurry to leave. Did she tell you anything?" She asked Josh curiously.

"No," Josh shook his head as he ran his hand through his hair in frustration. He should have pushed her to tell him what was wrong when he had the chance. In his mind, he quickly went over the moment when she started acting strange. It was right after he had told her that he wasn't going to kiss her because he just wanted to look at her. _Had he said the wrong thing? Perhaps, he had gone too far with his affections and scared her off? Was she angry because she didn't get a kiss in that moment?_ Josh was utterly confused. He had said that to her because he wanted to prove to her how charming (and romantic) he could be after her playful criticism that his "game sucked." But he had also genuinely _meant_ those words. In that moment, _all_ he wanted to do was gaze at her. He had been lost in her presence and beauty. It certainly wasn't the first time and it wouldn't be the last. And as far as he could tell, she felt the same way. The attraction between them had been palpable as it usually was whenever they were around each other. So what was the problem? Why exactly did she panic and run off? _I will never understand girls_ \- _like, ever,_ Josh thought to himself in amusement as he ate his cereal.

"She's still coming to _Six Flags_ right?" Josh asked Riley.

"Yeah, definitely. She will _never_ miss Six Flags."

"I'm pretty sure Maya loves _Six Flags_ more than all of us combined," Topanga commented. "That girl is _fierce._ She's been on like every ride, right Riley?"

"Yeah, pretty much," Riley responded. "One time, Uncle Josh, I think it was like three years ago- she tried to get me to go on the _Superman._ You know that ride?"

"Yeah," Josh nodded with a grin. It was one of the scariest rides at _Six Flags._

"I took one look at the ride and I was like, _no way!_ She did _everything_ to convince me to go. Even promised to buy me gummy bears and popcorn _everyday_ that summer- but I wasn't budging."

"Well _that's_ dumb! I would have taken that deal!" Auggie commented.

"I agree with you, Son!" Cory yelled out. "Ya Chicken!" He teased Riley.

Riley rolled her eyes at him. " _Anyways,_ like I was saying Uncle Josh before I was _rudely_ interrupted, I still said no cos it looked scary and I saw like a bunch of kids _puking_ right after they got off the ride!"

Josh chuckled. "That's no good," He commented.

"I know, right?! So I was like, Maya I'll go on _any_ other less scary ride with you. I just don't wanna go on _this one_! She was disappointed cos I could tell she _really_ wanted to go but she didn't want to go _alone._ Anyway, before I knew what was happening, she had gotten on the ride! By herself! Just like that! I was _shocked_ and _so_ _scared_ for her the whole time she was on it. But she survived. She came off the ride all excited and I was like- _omg, Maya, how was it?!_ She was like- _that was awesome Riles! I kinda wanna go again. But I think I'm gonna barf now. Can you get me a bag or something? I don't feel so good!_ "

Josh started laughing. "You're kidding," he said as he shook his head in amusement.

" _Not_ kidding!" Riley responded with an amused chuckle. "She was like about to vomit and I had to find something like asap otherwise it was _all_ gonna be on the ground!"

" _Terrible_ story to tell at breakfast, Honey!" Topanga cried out with a horrified look on her face.

"Uh, _yeah_!" Cory agreed as he made a disgusted face at his daughter with his mouth full with bacon and eggs.

"Oh, right. Sorry," Riley apologized.

"I just wanna know one thing," Josh asked. "Did you get a bag for her in time?"

"Yeah, I did!" Riley grinned excitedly. "I ran off to the ice-cream guy nearby and I was like- _pleaase, my friend is sick! She was on the Superman ride and she needs a bag. Please help her!_ I was like legit about to cry. So he gave me a bag and Maya was saved!"

" _Awesome_ ," Josh replied with an amused chuckle. " _Great_ story!"

"Thank you!" Riley replied. "But yeah, she's _definitely_ not missing _Six Flags._ "

Josh nodded with a satisfied smile as he finished the rest of his meal. Maybe he would get a chance soon to find out what the heck was going on with her once they all headed out. Unfortunately for him however, Maya made another unexpected decision by choosing _not_ to travel in the Matthews' car to _Six Flags._ Shawn and Katy drove with their own car so Maya stayed with her parents instead of joining Riley and Josh in Cory and Topanga's minivan as she normally would have. Lucas took Maya's place in the Matthews' car, whereas Farkle, Smackle and Zay joined Maya in Shawn and Katy's car.

As Josh sat next to a sleeping (and snoring) Auggie and Ava during the two hour long drive to _Six Flags,_ he found himself quietly going insane. His thoughts kept circling back to his encounter with Maya that morning in his room. _Everything_ had seemed fine between them until the last few minutes. She had been teasing him as usual. She had wanted to be _around_ him. So why was she avoiding him now? What exactly had he done wrong? _Maybe I'm just misreading things? Maybe, everything's fine?_ He thought. _Should I text her? Ask her what's wrong?_ Once he saw Riley and Lucas- who were seated in front of him- sneak each other a kiss as they gazed contentedly into each other's eyes, he decided he had had enough. He took out his phone, found Maya's name and started typing.

_**Josh:** _ _Hey, um, is something wrong? I haven't gotten a chance to speak with you since this morning. But I just have a funny feeling that you're maybe avoiding me? Or am I making things up? Lol. Anyway, lemme know if everything's ok? Just checking in :)_

He sent the message and waited patiently for a response. He never got one.

* * *

Josh was seated on a bench in the kids section of _Six Flags_ as he waited for Auggie and Ava to finish their ride. Thankfully, the two "married" friends finally decided on the rides they wanted to go on after about twenty minutes of bickering. During that time, Josh left them alone to figure things out as his mind remained consumed with a certain blonde and her sudden mysterious change of attitude towards him.

Not only had Maya _not_ responded to his text message, but when they all arrived at _Six Flags_ and were dividing themselves into their various groups, Josh couldn't help but feel that she was completely ignoring him. He tried several times to make eye-contact with her, but she kept her focus on her group of friends. In that moment, he found himself feeling frustrated, annoyed and hurt by her actions. What exactly had he done to deserve being utterly _ignored_? What kind of game was she playing? Whatever it was, he was done trying to figure it out. If she was going to ignore him, then he could also do the same thing. _Ugh, I don't have time for this!_ He thought in frustration as he watched her walk away with Zay.

He was just about to turn his attention to Auggie and Ava when he noticed Maya stop walking and turn around abruptly. For a moment, Josh felt his heart stop as she made eye-contact with him for a few seconds before turning back around. It was the first time she had acknowledged him that day since she left his room earlier that morning. There was no smile or playful grin. Josh couldn't decipher her stoic, facial expression. But he knew in that moment that in her own mysterious way, she was _trying_ to communicate with him. She wanted him to know that she wasn't _totally_ ignoring him. But this didn't change the frustrating fact that she was _still_ avoiding him and driving him crazy in the process. If something was wrong, why wasn't she approaching him to discuss it? After all, she had _never_ been shy or afraid to tell him how she felt. On the contrary, she had always been extremely confident and comfortable around him. So why the heck was she acting this way now that they had gotten even closer?

 _So much for a fun trip,_ Josh thought bitterly as he sat and ate his chocolate ice cream cone with peanut sprinkles hoping it would make him feel a little better. _I swear, chocolate can fix anything,_ he thought with an amused smile. As he waited for Auggie and Ava, who were now on their fourth ride, he started observing the people around him and immediately noticed a couple of teenagers- a boy and a girl. The boy was carrying the girl on his back as they walked around and happily chatted with each other, seemingly lost in their own world.

As Josh quietly watched the pair, he remembered the highly amusing (and memorable) moment when Maya Hart jumped on his back and started reading out loud his NYU acceptance letter. He remembered how he had tried to get her off his back ("Get off me, you lil ferret!" he yelled out) but also secured her by holding on to her legs so that she wouldn't fall (or be able to get off his back). He grinned amusedly as he recalled the memory and the fact that _that moment_ was the perfect metaphor for their push and pull relationship. In the beginning, he was the one constantly pushing her away by his frequent references to their age difference. He wanted her to "get off his back" but in his heart, he was never able to let her go. And now, _she_ was the one pushing him away and yet still pulling him in with every conversation, gaze, and kiss… It suddenly dawned on him that this cycle of push and pull between them needed to end. Emotionally, they were way past that. It was time for their relationship to advance to the next level...to become more _mature_ and _stable_. _He_ needed to step up, take charge and re-orient the course of their long game. At the end of the day, he couldn't force Maya to do anything she didn't want to do or wasn't ready for. But he could _try_ to fix what he felt was broken. In this moment, he could make one _last_ effort to do so. Grabbing his phone, he boldly pressed her number and called her.

* * *

Maya's phone rang a few times before going to voicemail. He listened to her hilarious recorded voice message: "Wassup?! You _know_ the person you've reached by now if you made it this far and called my phone, so I'm not gonna bother saying my name. Like, just send me a text, already! Who _calls_ people nowadays? _Anyway_ , I'm _not_ available. So, text me- duh. Hang up now!...But if you want to be annoying, you can leave a message after the beep. I probz won't listen to it. Have a _great_ day! Bye!"

Josh decided to leave a message. "Um, hey- I think you know who this is," He said, grinning in amusement. "So it's been a while. Long time, no _speak_. I _did_ send you a text. Still awaiting a response. Perhaps, ya missed it?! _Anyway_ , I decided to try one last time and then I promise, I'm gonna stop bothering you. Call me back? Please? After your ride or whatever you're doing right now? We need to talk - uh- hopefully in person. So yeah, will be waiting for your call. It will certainly be nice to hear your voice again. Hope you're having fun. Bye." He hung up the phone and sighed softly.

"Uncle Josh! Uncle Josh! That ride was _so_ much fun!" Auggie yelled out as he ran towards him excitedly.

"UGH! WAIT FOR ME, AUGGIE!" Ava yelled out as she struggled to keep up with her friend.

"Oh really? Which ride did you go on, buddy?" Josh asked Auggie as he lifted the curly haired boy onto his lap and ruffled his hair playfully.

"The _Taz Tornado!_ It was _so fun!_ I'm feeling a little dizzy though," Auggie admitted.

Josh chuckled. "It spun you around?"

"Yeah," Auggie nodded.

"OH MY GOSH! THAT WAS SO FUN! AUGGIE, LET'S DO THAT RIDE AGAIN!" Ava yelled out once she approached them.

"Not so fast!" Josh responded. "Auggie's feeling a little dizzy right now, Ava. And Ava, try to lower your voice a little, ok? We're _right_ here so we can hear you. Alright?"

Ava nodded. "Ok, Uncle Josh."

"Ok great. Here, you guys take this and go get some ice cream," Josh handed them some money.

"Oh _sweet_! Thanks, Uncle Josh!" Auggie yelled out excitedly as he and Ava ran over to the ice cream vendor. Josh grinned as he watched them fondly. Right at that moment, he felt his phone vibrating. It was Maya calling him back. His heart beating in anticipation, he quickly answered the call.

"Hey," He greeted her softly.

"Hi," She responded in a wavering tone.

"Nice to hear from you," Josh stated matter-of-factly. "After you didn't respond to my text, I wasn't sure if I should- uh- keep reaching out. Felt like I was bothering you- you know?" She had really hurt him and he needed her to know that.

There was a brief, awkward silence on her end before she spoke again in a soft, shaky voice.

"Um, I'm sorry, Josh," She apologized. Josh felt his frustration and hurt dissipating as soon as he heard those words. He could sense the sincerity in her voice and that made it possible for him to forgive her.

"It's ok, Maya," He told her softly. "We do need to talk though. Can you talk now? Where are you? I can come find you if you're free."

"Um, sure. I think it will be faster though if I find you," Maya suggested. "I know this park pretty well. Just let me know where you are."

"Oh, ok," Josh stated as he glanced around. "I'm in the kids section, sitting on a bench across from the _Oompa, Loompa_ ride."

Maya giggled. "Having fun there, Boing?" She teased him.

Josh chuckled. " _S_ o much fun. You have _no_ idea," He stated sarcastically.

Maya laughed. "Alright, I'll see you soon, Boing."

"Sure, see ya," Josh responded with a wide grin on his face. He hung up the phone, told Auggie and Ava that he'd be right back and went to buy a vanilla ice cream cone with rainbow sprinkles for her.

* * *

 _Ha, she didn't mention that she was coming with Zay_...Josh thought as he observed Maya and Zay heading towards him. For the second time that day, Maya Hunter's actions and lack of communication had managed to turn his world upside down. Why was Zay coming along? Couldn't she have come by herself? That's what he had understood from their phone conversation. Were they supposed to have a private talk about their relationship with Zay lurking around? _What the hell, Maya?_ Josh thought in frustration as he sat there looking shocked and slightly annoyed. He had nothing against Zay personally, but he had been expecting to meet up with Maya _alone._

"Oh Uncle Josh, look! It's Maya and Zay!" Auggie pointed them out as soon as he spotted the pair.

"Yeah, I see them, Augs," Josh responded with a frown as he got up and prepared to greet them.

"Hey," Maya greeted Josh with a timid smile once she got closer to him.

"Hi," Josh replied with a warm smile as he gazed at her.

Zay stood about the distance of a foot behind Maya in an effort to give her some privacy as she spoke to Josh. He greeted Josh by simply nodding his head at him without saying anything. Josh nodded his head back at him in response.

"Hi Maya!" Auggie and Ava both greeted her simultaneously.

Maya laughed. "Hey guys! You having fun today?!" She asked them.

"YEAH!" They both cried out excitedly.

"Maya, Maya! You _have_ to come on a ride with us! We're gonna go again!" Ava yelled out.

"Oh really? Which ride are you going on?" Maya asked them.

"The _Taz Tornado_!" Auggie responded. "It got me dizzy, but it's _awesome_! You wanna come with us? Uncle Josh has to watch our stuff," He pointed to a couple of backpacks on the bench.

Maya grinned amusedly. "Sure, I'll join you guys. Is that ok with you, Uncle Josh? Can you trust me with your kids?" She teased him.

Josh chuckled. "You not feeling dizzy anymore, Augs?" He asked him.

"Nah, I'm good. I think the ice cream helped. Can we get another one when we come back?" Auggie asked.

"No," Josh shook his head with an amused chuckle. "But nice try, buddy. Oh, by the way, I got this for you, Maya," He handed Maya the ice cream cone he bought for her. "Sorry. It started to melt all over so I had to lick it a bit. Hope you don't mind."

Maya slowly shook her head at him in disapproval. "What's with you and giving presents and then wanting to take them back?" She teased him. "You did the _same_ thing with my hat. Might as well eat the whole ice cream at this point! I'm surprised there's any left!"

Josh burst out laughing and scratched the back of his hair lightly. "Sorry," He said. "It tasted _really_ good. And it was like melting all over my fingers so I had to do _something._ I only licked it a couple times."

"It _does_ taste pretty good," Maya agreed as she started licking it. "Thanks for my second ice cream of the day, Boing," She beamed at him.

Josh laughed. "Sure. Who gave you your first?" He asked curiously.

"Zay," Maya replied.

"Oh," Josh responded. He felt a slight, uncomfortable sensation in his gut but he did his best to ignore it. "Um, I really hope you don't take this the wrong way but why's Zay here? I was kinda hoping to talk to you alone…" He told her straightforwardly.

"Oh yeah, of course," Maya glanced at Zay. Auggie and Ava had ran over to him and he was busy chatting with them.

"Sorry I should have told you he was coming," Maya said. "We had just gotten off a ride when I called you so he wanted to walk me over here. He's gonna be leaving now though. I told him you and I had to chat for a little bit."

"Oh ok, cool," Josh responded in a relieved tone.

"So I'm gonna hang out with the kiddies and then we can talk?" Maya said.

"Sure, sounds good," Josh agreed. "Thanks for going with them, Maya."

"No problem!" Maya responded enthusiastically. "Here's a fun Maya fact for you- I love _every single ride_ at _Six Flags-_ and yes, that includes the kid rides. See ya Boing!" She walked over to where Auggie, Ava and Zay were standing and spoke with Zay for a few seconds before grabbing Auggie and Ava's hands and walking away with them towards the rides.

* * *

After Maya, Auggie and Ava left, Josh immediately turned his attention to Zay who was still standing about a foot away from him and observing him quietly.

"Hi Zay," Josh called out to him in an effort to break the awkward silence and eye-contact between them.

"Hey Josh," Zay responded in a dry, wary tone as he approached Josh. "Can I talk to you for a sec?"

Josh hesitated for a moment before saying yes. The last time Zay talked to him, Josh ended up feeling slightly guilty about promising Maya the "long game" and "someday" at the ski lodge. He knew that Zay was simply trying to support Maya and be a good friend, but his words made Josh start to question whether he had done the right thing for Maya. Fortunately, Josh no longer had those doubts or guilt concerning his relationship with Maya, but he also wasn't eager to have another "talk" with Zay. He and Lucas could actually sit down and have a friendly conversation about many topics, but he could never do that with Zay mainly because unlike Lucas, Zay seemed to distance himself from Josh whenever they encountered each other. Josh had observed Zay carefully enough to sense that the 16 year old boy wasn't comfortable around him. Josh wasn't exactly sure _why_ , but he knew it probably had something to do with Zay's uncertainties or concerns about Josh's growing intimacy with Maya.

At first, Josh used to worry about Zay's seemingly distant and cold attitude towards him, but he quickly realized that it wasn't worth fretting about. After all, Zay simply wasn't a factor in his conversations or interactions with Maya. Once in a while, Maya would mention something funny Zay said or did in school, and Josh knew that she and Zay were close friends. But for the most part, Maya rarely ever mentioned Zay and she also didn't seem to care (or notice) the slight tension and distance between the two boys. So, Maya's ignorance of the situation helped Josh to not worry too much. If Zay didn't want to be his friend, then that was _his_ right. Josh certainly wasn't going to force friendship on anyone just because that person was close to Maya. What mattered most to Josh was _respect_ , and so far, he was satisfied with the fact that he and Zay had never disrespected each other in any of their encounters.

They both sat down on the bench and faced each other before Zay started speaking. "Look Josh, I'm gonna start of by saying that I think you're a good guy. And you've really helped Maya a lot- especially with school. So that's really cool that you're doing that. But I also know that you aint perfect, cos after all, who is, right? And I'm kind of the only one who can _really_ see things as they are between you and Maya and tell it as it is, cos I don't have a personal connection with you. Riley does. Lucas can't really say much cos you know, he's Riley's man. The geniuses are in their own world. So it's basically all up to me to speak up. And I don't really care about doing so. If I see something wrong, e _specially_ with my friends, I'm gonna say something. That's just who I am. So, now that I've said all of that friendly stuff, here's my question for you. And I really hope you don't take it the wrong way. Like I said, I feel like I'm in a special position to look out for Maya here in a way that no one else in our friend group can really do. What _exactly_ are your intentions with Maya? I mean, are you planning to make her your girl at some point? Cos, to be honest witchu, I'm still confused with this whole long game thing. I mean, ya'll are _really_ close right now, and when you ask her, she just says, 'oh we playing the long game,' but any fool can _see_ how much she likes you. And I don't want her to get hurt at the end of the day if you just so happen to change your mind about her one day. So, you planning to commit to her soon, or you just gonna keep it all vague and confusing? That's what I wanna know."

"I appreciate your concern Zay. And I also think it's great that you're such a good friend to Maya and are looking out for her," Josh responded. "But, I'm not sure how much I can really say when it comes to answering your questions. I mean, the answers to your questions are kinda private info between me and Maya, you know? It's stuff she and I need to discuss or have _already_ discussed. So I can't really answer your questions in a way that will be satisfying to you right _now._ Obviously, sooner or later, you're gonna find out the answers. _But_ with that being said, what I _can_ tell you is that I'm _very_ committed to Maya. I care _a lot_ about her and I'm _definitely_ not playing around with her. You also don't have to worry about me leading her on and then changing my mind about her one day. The whole point of the long game is for us to take things slow and actually get to know each other. We both know that we like each other, but I also wanted to get to know her as a _person_ and a _friend._ So that's why I proposed the long game in the first place. Eventually, once she and I are both ready and we've discussed things, the long game will turn into something more substantial and official, but like I said, I can't really discuss that with you. That's between me and her. You know what I'm saying?"

"Yeah, I get it," Zay replied. "But I also know that she's in high school, and you're in college. She got a whole different life and priorities, and so do you. I remember asking you a few months back if you wanted her thinking so much about your 'someday' that she missed out on her life _right now,_ and _you_ said you didn't want that. That you wanted her to live her life. Well, guess what, that's not _really_ what's happening right now- I'mma just be real witchu. Even when she doesn't say anything, I know she's thinking or worrying about you. You can see it all over her face. She barely had any fun today- and she loves _Six Flags_ \- and it was because of you."

"Hold on," Josh interrupted him. "Did she say anything to you today about me?"

"Like you said, that's private info between me and her. I can't discuss that with you. Sorry bro," Zay replied with a shrug of his shoulders. Josh sighed in frustration.

"Look man, just know that sometimes she tells me stuff she knows she can't tell you or Riley or anyone close to you cos you know, she don't wanna come between you and your family," Zay stated. "Now with that being said, _I'm_ just looking out for her best interests. And obviously, she don't know that I'm having this convo with you, but I think you should know that she's finding it hard to live her life _now_ cos she's busy _worrying_ about you and her. She worries about whether you're always gonna be around or like her as much as she likes you. She sees most of her friends with official titles of 'boyfriend' and 'girlfriend' and she wonders when she's ever gonna get hers. And yeah, she's waiting patiently for ya both to reach your someday or whatever but sometimes she gets tired of waiting. She wonders why things can't just happen _now._ She saying no to all these boys at school, and every time she does, I can't help but think- she's putting her life on hold for a dude in college who aint even her official boyfriend yet. Look Josh, like I said, I don't think you're a bad guy- but I do think you're not really seeing the impact that whatever it is you got going on with her now, is having on her mentally and on her life. You know why? Cos you don't see her everyday. And you not sharing the same experiences with her. High school is hard and confusing enough. And then imagine how much harder it gets when you throw in, having some up in the clouds, vague romantic thingie going on with a college dude. I dunno how much of this stuff you're _seeing_ or that you and her have talked about- but I just wanted to point things out to you in case you aint seeing all this stuff. She told me you and her are gonna have a chat soon. So I just wanted to give you a heads-up in case you don't know all this. I know I haven't been the most friendliest to you. But at the end of the day, all I care about is Maya's happiness. I wanna make sure that she is _always_ happy cos homegirl deserves it. I mean, she's awesome. She _really_ is. And since you've become such a big part of her happiness, I wanna make sure I'm keeping my eyes on you. You _hurt_ her in any way, shape or form, after all the lovin' that she been showing you- and after all the boys she been ignoring cos of _you-_ just know man, that I'm personally gonna _make sure_ that she don't get hurt by you _ever again._ Cos that's _my job_ as her friend. So I hope that at the end of the day, _you'll_ do your job so that things stay cool between us. That's _all_ I wanna say to you. And now, if you don't mind, I'm gonna peace out before she comes back and sees me here talking to you."

Zay got up and glanced at his phone for a few seconds before speaking to Josh one last time. "She's special, man. I hope you do right by her. I _really_ hope you do. I'll see you around." And with those words, Isaiah (Zay) Babineaux turned around and walked away from Josh.

 _What the hell, Zay_ , Josh thought in frustration as he watched him disappear into the crowd


	22. Chapter 22

_**Maya:** _ _Uncle Boing! We're on our way back. Just so u know, we're gonna be racing. First person to arrive wins a free ice cream paid for by you (yayy)! I plan to win this btw. "Augava" don't stand a chance (muahahaha). Get ur dough ready. And no licking my ice cream this time!_

Josh grinned as he read her text. He was still feeling uneasy and frustrated after his conversation with Zay. Seeing her lighthearted text message helped to ease his nerves a little bit.

After they agreed to play the long game, one of Josh's biggest concerns was that Maya would be so focused on him and on "someday" that she wouldn't live her own life or establish her own identity outside of that framework. He didn't want her to put her life "on hold" because of him. He brought up this issue when they discussed their long game in detail on Valentine's day. Maya assured him not to worry. She told him she had her friends and her passion (art), and that she would make sure to live _her_ life as she waited for "someday." And, as far as Josh could tell, she was doing exactly that. She was still the same vibrant, passionate girl he had always known. But now, Zay was telling him something different and Josh was no longer sure _what_ to believe.

As he sat waiting for her, Zay's words echoed in his mind- _She saying no to all these boys at school, and every time she does, I can't help but think- she's putting her life on hold for a dude in college who aint even her official boyfriend yet...I do think you're not really seeing the impact that whatever it is you got going on with her now, is having on her mentally and on her life. You know why? Cos you don't see her everyday. And you not sharing the same experiences with her._ Josh sighed as those words kept replaying in his mind.

He wanted Maya to be happy, and as far as he could tell, she _was_ happy. They had both been quite happy the past couple months since they got past Maya's trust issues with Anna. Maya hadn't expressed any other worries or insecurities about their relationship since then. So, to hear from Zay that Maya had been feeling insecure about the nature of their relationship as well Josh's feelings for her, and that she wasn't _really_ living her life because of these worries was extremely concerning. Josh wasn't sure if he should believe _everything_ Zay told him. But he _was_ concerned that perhaps Maya had hidden a lot of her worries from him and led him to believe that she was completely fine when she wasn't. The fact that she had avoided him that day was a huge red flag. There was clearly something bothering her, and it was time to find out exactly what that was. If _only_ she would be completely honest with him…

_What am I going to do with you, Maya?_ Josh thought with a small sigh. In the end, he wanted to do the right thing for her. The problem was, he _thought_ he had been doing the right thing until Zay got him confused yet again (as usual). He could only hope that Maya would open up to him about _exactly_ how she was feeling so that they could both figure out how to proceed going forward.

"UNCLE BOING!" He heard Maya scream excitedly as she ran towards him. He burst out laughing when he noticed Auggie and Ava trailing far behind her. Maya was too fast for them. Within a few seconds, she reached Josh and slumped down on the bench next to him.

"Oh my gosh, I'm _so_ tired," She murmured as she tried to catch her breath. "But I won! TAKE THAT AUGAVA!" She yelled out at Auggie and Ava who were still far away.

Josh chuckled as he gazed at her. "You know, you could've been a _nice_ grown-up and pretended to let them win instead of _you_ winning and then taunting them about it. That's not very nice of you, Aunt Maya," He teased her.

Maya raised her eyebrows at him in shock. "Did you just call me _Aunt_?" She asked him.

"Yeah," Josh responded with an amused grin. "You've been calling me 'Uncle' this whole time."

Maya grinned at him mischievously. "True, but you do know what it means if _you_ call me 'Aunt' right?"

"Um, not sure what you're referring... _oh,_ " Josh chuckled when he realized what she was trying to say. "Um, that's _not_ what I meant, and you know it, Maya."

"Where's my ring, Uncle Josh? _Aunt_ Maya needs a ring ya know? You can't just call me Aunt for free!" Maya teased him as she waved her fingers in his face.

"Stop it," Josh chided her as he chuckled softly. Maya grinned widely before reaching over and planting a soft kiss on his cheek. Josh blushed as he felt her lips on his cheek. His heart racing, he gazed at her affectionately.

"I _love_ teasing you. It's _so_ much fun," Maya murmured as she gazed up at him with a wide smile. Josh simply shook his head at her before gently brushing a few stray hairs off her forehead and placing them behind her ear. He felt her tremble slightly at his touch before closing her eyes and leaning in towards him. Josh's heart was pounding as he also leaned in slowly towards her lips almost as if he was in a trance.

"Uncle Josh! Uncle Josh! Maya cheated! It's _not_ fair!" Auggie's yell broke the trance between them. Maya quickly opened her eyes and sat up straight while Josh took in a couple of deep breaths to calm his racing heart.

"SHE'S BIGGER THAN US SO OF COURSE SHE'S GONNA WIN! IT'S YOUR FAULT AUGGIE! I TOLD YOU WE SHOULDN'T RACE WITH HER! I _KNEW_ WE WERE GONNA LOSE!" Ava screeched with her hands on her hips and an annoyed look on her face.

"Uncle Josh, can we _please_ get ice cream too?" Auggie begged him. "It's not fair if you just let Maya have it. _Please_ Uncle Josh? _Pleaaase_?"

"Ok, ok, ok!" Josh yelled out with his hands raised in an effort to silence the frustrated kids.

"Everybody's gonna get ice cream, so let's all _calm_ down, ok" He told them.

"YAYYY!" Auggie and Ava yelled out in unison.

" _Thank you,_ Uncle Josh!" Auggie exclaimed as he hugged Josh tightly.

"Hold on, that's not fair though," Maya muttered with a teasing grin. " _I_ won so only _I_ should get ice cream. Those were the rules. Just saying, Uncle Josh."

" _Shut up_ ," Josh scolded her in a low voice that only she could hear. "Always causing trouble," He shook his head at her in amusement. Maya giggled at that comment. "Trouble _is_ my middle name," She told him with a sly grin.

"Alright guys, you can go with Maya to get some ice cream," Josh told Auggie and Ava. "Maya, can you please buy it for them and also get one for yourself?"

"Sure. Thanks Uncle Josh!" Maya responded with a bright smile.

Josh grinned in amusement as he handed her a twenty-dollar bill.

" _Ooh_. _So_ much money! Want me to get one for you too?" Maya asked him.

"Nah, I'm good. Thanks for asking. Bring back my change though," He told her with a teasing grin.

Maya chuckled. "Ok, Boing. Will do my best _not_ to steal your dough. Come on guys! Let's go!" Maya ran to the ice cream truck with Auggie and Ava following right along. Josh stared at the three of them fondly with a wide, silly grin on his face and a giddy feeling in his chest.

They quickly returned with their ice creams in tow. Auggie and Ava happily thanked Josh again and stood off to the side eating their ice creams, while Maya sat down next to Josh and held up her chocolate ice cream to him.

"I got your fav. Help me eat it? I've had _way_ too much sugar today. I'm already too hyper," She admitted.

Josh laughed. "I thought you didn't want me eating your ice cream," He said before grabbing the cone and licking off some of the chocolate cream.

"Eh, that's only if I'm not around. I don't want you eating my desserts behind my back. It's a simple rule, Boing," Maya retorted with a playful grin as she also ate some and handed the rest of the ice cream to him.

"That's it?" Josh asked her, surprised. "You barely ate any."

"This is my _third_ ice cream today Boing. You sure you want me to finish it? Cos you might not be able to handle my sugar overload craziness," Maya pointed out.

Josh chuckled. "Good point. I'll finish it then."

"Smart boy," Maya said teasingly.

"Uncle Josh, can we go on more rides?" Auggie asked him excitedly.

"Sure, bud," Josh responded. "Maya and I are gonna stay here and chat for a little bit. Just come back when you guys get tired, ok?"

"Ok."

"And _don't_ go too far," Maya told them. "You guys stay right around here. And _no_ speaking to strangers! Anyone tries to grab ya, run as fast as you can and yell our names _really_ loud and we'll come get you. Ok?"

"Ok," Auggie and Ava both nodded.

"Cool. Go have fun kiddies! Fly away!" Maya waved them off.

"Bye!" The two kids yelled out enthusiastically before running off towards their next ride.

" _Whew. Finally,_ some private time," Maya muttered as she winked flirtatiously at Josh, making him chuckle. Without saying anything, she quickly reached into her bag, grabbed a napkin and gently wiped off the remnants of the ice cream he ate from his lips. Josh gazed down at her- his heart racing again- as she casually performed the small, intimate gesture almost as if she had done it a hundred times before.

"There. Your lips are _all_ clean...and _ready_ for some action!" She beamed at him.

Josh burst out laughing. " _That's_ why you cleaned 'em?" He asked her in amusement. She gave him a mischievous grin. "Well, duh," She responded. "But also so you don't walk around with ice cream on your face. I mean you're so busy with Uncle duties today, someone's gotta look out for you."

Josh smiled warmly at her. "Thanks, kiddo. I've gotta say- apart from not letting them win the race and pissing them off, you did pretty well with Augs and Ava today. I'm impressed. Thanks for helping out."

" _Pssh._ It's no big deal," Maya waved her hand dismissively. "I used to help Riles babysit Auggie all the time. It's only cos you're around now that Riley's gotten a break. Cos you know, Auggie will rather hang out with _super cool_ , Uncle Boing. I don't blame him though. I would do the same," She said with a wide grin.

Josh smiled. "I appreciate you saying that. Cos after what happened today, to be honest with you, there was a moment when I started to think that _maybe_ you just didn't want to be around me anymore…" He told her softly. "I had a hunch that wasn't _why_ you were avoiding me, but I did consider that possibility for like a second. It was a scary thought."

Maya's grin disappeared as soon as she heard him admit that. She turned away from him and fixed her gaze on the ground. There was a tense moment of silence between them before she finally spoke.

"I'm so sorry, Josh," She mumbled as she continued to stare at the ground.

"I know, Maya," Josh replied soothingly as he moved closer to her on the bench and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "And I've accepted your apology. It's water under the bridge. But you still owe me an explanation. Because I still need to know _why_ you were avoiding me. I mean, did I do something wrong or _say_ something when we were in my room, earlier? If so, then you've gotta _tell_ me so I can try and fix it." Josh placed his hand underneath her chin and gently shifted her head so she could look up at him.

"You know, you can tell me _anything_ Maya," He reassured her. "I never want you to feel like you have to hide stuff from me, or avoid me, or confide in somebody else but _not_ tell me." _Like Zay,_ he thought. "I've told you this before- but one of the things I've always liked about you is that you're never afraid to speak your mind. You always keep things straightforward. I _really_ hope you don't lose that quality because then you're gonna drive me crazy trying to read your mind like all the time. And that gets tiring _really_ quickly. You get what I'm saying?"

"Yeah," Maya muttered.

"Ok, _great,_ " Josh beamed at her. "So, you're not gonna pull this avoiding act ever again, right?"

"No," She shook her head. "Sorry again, Josh."

"No worries," Josh responded. "Just don't do it again cos it _sucked-_ big time," He made a sad face at her. Maya smiled sheepishly at him and went back to staring at the ground and idly fidgeting with her fingers.

Josh watched her with an amused smile for a moment before grabbing her hand and intertwining his fingers with hers. She looked up at him with a questioning expression on her face. As their eyes met, Josh couldn't hold himself back any longer. He bent down towards her and captured her lips in his. He kissed her for a few seconds before pulling back and giving her a fond smile.

"You are all forgiven, Lil Ferret," He told her as he squeezed her hand tenderly. "No need to keep feeling bad and avoiding eye contact anymore, ok?"

Maya grinned widely at this comment. "Ok," She nodded. "Thanks Josh."

"You're not _completely_ off the hook though," Josh pointed out. "I'm still waiting to hear _why_ you did it. Talk to me? So, we can get to the bottom of this?"

Maya sighed. "Do we have to? Can't we just keep kissing and making up for lost time? The kiddies will be here soon you know. And then fun time's over for Uncle and Auntie."

Josh burst out laughing. "Uh, no." He responded. "As _great_ as your suggestion sounds, we do have to talk first. Sorry, I know I can be very...what's the word you called me on my birthday?... _anal_ , when it comes to communication-"

Maya cut him off with an uproarious laughter. "Wait, hold on, I called you _that_ on your birthday?"

Josh nodded. "Yup. I remember it clearly. It was a cold, romantic Valentine's night. We were just saying goodbye in front of your building, but you weren't happy that I was gonna tell the parents about the long game and so you called me 'anal'. I was _shocked and distraught. My heart broke!_ "

Maya laughed. "Oh yeah, I remember now." She shook her head in amusement. "I'm a _terrible_ person," She said jokingly.

"No comment," Josh immediately responded with a wide, teasing grin.

" _Hey!_ " Maya protested and jerked her hand away from his grasp. "You were supposed to say, 'No, Maya, you're not a terrible person. You're _awesome and so sweet.'_ "

Josh chuckled. "I could have," He retorted teasingly. "But I mean, if it aint the truth, I aint just gone say it, you know what I'm saying? Ya _feel_ me, girl?"

" _Shut_ up!" Maya said before she burst out laughing at his sudden change of accent.

"I wouldn't say you're a _terrible_ person," Josh told her. "I mean, there are other adjectives but I'm gonna refrain from saying anything else since I don't wanna die today. So, yeah, you're _awesome_ Maya, and _so, so, wonderfully sweet...the sweetest of all."_

"Oh my God, STOP! _Please!"_ Maya cried out during her laughter. Josh laughed right along with her. "What, you don't want that either?" He teased her. "You asked for it. Careful what you wish for, _Sweetheart._ "

Maya giggled at his use of the affectionate term and bit her lip shyly in response.

"Ok, we're gonna get back on track before the kiddies show up," Josh glanced at his watch. "What I was _trying_ to say earlier was that I know I can be a bit obsessive sometimes with communication but that's cos - as you know- it was the one thing I screwed up on in my last relationship and I ended up breaking her heart. So, I'm _determined_ not to do that again. You know?"

Maya nodded. "Yeah, I know," She said. "I - um- I appreciate everything you've been trying to do, Josh. I know I don't tell you that a lot, but I really do. You've been really great," She smiled warmly at him. "Um, it's hard for me to really explain why I did what I did today," She continued. "But I guess I just got scared...and when I'm scared, I just wanna hide or run away so that's kinda why I started avoiding you. But you didn't deserve that- so for the millionth time, I'm sorry."

"What were you scared of? Me?" Josh asked her.

"No. Not you," Maya shook her head. "You didn't do anything wrong. It's just…" She paused for a moment to muster her courage before speaking again. "This is _really_ hard to explain but - I guess I was just scared of my _feelings_ for you. Like when we were in your room and you were looking at me like that and then what you said - I, um- I just started feeling a _lot -_ and it was all very overwhelming and I didn't really know how to handle it in that moment, so I bolted before you could stop me," She gave him a weak smile. Josh nodded in understanding.

"I think it was…" She continued her train of thought. "I think it was just this sudden confusion and panic because I thought I was so _sure_ about my feelings for you this _whole_ time- you know? Like I know that I _really_ like you and it was _never_ a crush, and maybe even _more_ than like you - and we had that whole awkward convo on your birthday where I almost mentioned the 'l word'- and you were like, you weren't there yet with _your_ feelings and I was like, this is _so_ awkward, and it was just like, oh my God...wow, I _really_ ruined that birthday for you, didn't I? You were just too nice to admit it. But you can admit it now. I'm not gonna kill you," She grinned at him.

Josh burst out laughing. "Um, I plead the fifth," He simply stated. "No comment."

Maya laughed at his response. "Ok. Anyway," She said, "I think it was just this moment in your room when I realized that I was feeling all these new things and I just didn't know what to do...and so I just started panicking. And then when I left, I just started thinking and trying to make sense of what happened. And that's why I told Riles that I needed to go. But um, at first, I thought about what you said on your birthday about how you felt and where you were at, and then, I- uh- I thought about you and Anna and how you guys broke up."

"What?" Josh felt himself getting nervous. "I'm confused. What's any of this gotta do with me and Anna?" He asked.

Maya took in a deep breath and bit her lip nervously. "I'm not sure how to say this Josh without you possibly taking it the wrong way."

"Try me," Josh retorted.

"Ok," Maya stated. "From what I remember you saying, you and Anna basically broke up because she was a lot more into you than you were into her. I know it's a lot more complicated than that and I don't really need to know, but does that sum it up?"

_Where's she going with this?_ Josh thought worriedly before nodding his head. "Yeah, that about sums it up," He replied. "But I still don't get where you're going with this Maya."

"I'm not sure where I'm going either," She murmured softly. "I dunno...I feel like when I'm _really_ worried about something, I always think about _the worst case scenario_. Like, what's the _worst_ that could happen...and would it _totally_ destroy me if this happened...that's just how my mind works. It's a defense mechanism, I guess. Cos then it's like I'm prepared for it if it _does_ happen. You know what I'm saying?"

"Yeah," Josh nodded. "It's not healthy, but I know what you're saying."

"I'm sure it isn't," Maya chuckled as she shook her head. "Anyway, so, yeah, I kinda just drove myself crazy this whole morning thinking about you and Anna and what happened and the fact that here _I_ was, and we're not even a full year into our long game and I'm like feeling all this crazy stuff that I've never even felt before and I have _no idea_ what the heck is going on, and I could have just talked to you about it and be like, 'hey, Boing, here's how I think I'm feeling. How are you feeling? Let's chat.' But I was like, _nope. No way._ I'm just gonna drive myself crazy and avoid him like the plague and think about the _worst case scenario_ and be _absolutely miserable_. So that's what I did!" She grinned amusedly at him. Josh chuckled as he gazed affectionately at her. "But then when you called me and I listened to your message and you were like, 'yeah, this is my last effort and after this, I'm just gonna leave you alone' I was like, ' _oh crap!_ This isn't good. Boing's _really_ mad...' So, I ran here- to talk, and now I have _talked_! That's _all_ I have to say. Not sure if _any_ of it makes _any_ sense to you, but that's all I got. _Thank you_ for listening, Sir," She saluted him with a playful grin. Josh chuckled as he shook his head in utter amazement at her story.

" _Wow,_ " He muttered in shock. "Here I was thinking I was having a crappy day and you were going through all of that?"

"Yeah, pretty much," Maya responded.

" _How_ did you end up hanging out with Zay and going on rides with all this stuff going through your head? Did you speak to Zay about all this? I'm just curious," He asked her.

"No, I didn't say a word to Zay," She responded. "He knew something was wrong though. But I just told him I didn't want to talk about it- which of course made it obvious that it was probably something to do with you. But, yeah, I didn't tell him anything. I just kinda tried to pretend that everything was fine- which of course, _never_ works- at least with me. So, I basically ended up not really having much fun today. I had way more fun in the past when I had _no_ boy drama," She grinned at him. "This is _all_ your fault, Boing, just so you know. You've messed me up. I used to be _super cool, couldn't care less, didn't give a crap around boys, Maya_. Riley was always the one who was freaking out. _I_ was _always_ in control. That's _all_ gone, now. _Darn it, Boing,_ " She shook her head at him.

Josh laughed at this comment. "It's all gone, _now?!_ I'm pretty sure you forever lost your cool, don't give a crap about boys attitude the second you _jumped_ on my back and read my acceptance letter, Lil Ferret."

Maya burst out laughing. "True," She agreed. "Good times."

"Anyway, in all seriousness, I wanna thank you Maya for finally opening up about this issue," Josh stated. "I'm glad we're having this discussion because our feelings are certainly something that we should be talking about more just to make sure that we're both on the same page _and_ to avoid any confusion or assumptions. So, yeah, thanks for telling me everything. I had to pull the truth out of ya but like I said, I've always appreciated your openness and honesty. So, thanks for being _you_ \- in all your beautiful mess," He smiled warmly at her.

Maya blushed profusely and turned away from him. "Ugh, see this is what I mean Boing," She muttered with her back facing him. "You've gotta stop saying stuff like that. You're _messing_ me up!" She whined.

Josh laughed. "Well, I think I'm probably gonna make things worse then- cos I haven't even said the big things yet."

" _What_ are you talking about?" Maya turned around immediately and faced him again.

"Wow, that got your attention," Josh stated with an amused chuckle.

"Well, duh!" Maya stated. "You tell a girl you got big things to say to her, she's gonna start freaking out. What do you have to say? Just say it."

Josh grinned and took a deep breath before his expression turned serious. "You're worried that you're more into me than I am into you...or that, that's what's gonna happen between us one day. And you're also worried that if that happens, then we won't make it because of the imbalance in our feelings for each other - just like what happened with me and Anna. Is it fair to say that's your major concern right now?"

"Yeah," Maya responded. "That's my worst case scenario. So, I guess, that's my biggest concern about you and me."

Josh nodded in understanding before speaking again. "After I broke up with Anna, I didn't get involved in any other relationships for a while," He admitted to her. "And part of it was because of guilt. I knew how much it would hurt her if I started dating again. And since we were in the same school, she would see me with my new girlfriend every day. I had already hurt her enough. I couldn't do that to her again. Part of it was also because I told myself that I would never, in a million years, put another girl through the hell that I put her through. In other words, I would never _date_ a girl, or lead her on, without knowing, for _sure,_ that she and I were on the _same page_ when it came to our feelings for each other. Cos with Anna, I knew from the very beginning that she was a lot more into me than I was into her romantically. But she meant a lot to me and I knew how much she wanted the relationship to work. And I also wanted it to work. So, I convinced myself that things will change as time goes on and it will all be fine. And when we started getting more physical- that also kept things interesting...so, the relationship went on _a lot longer_ than it should have, and I almost destroyed her in the process when we finally communicated, and the truth came out. I still can't believe that was only two years ago…" Josh sighed as he shook his head in amazement.

"Anyway," He continued, "Fast forward two years later, and here we are. I guess what I'm trying to tell you, Maya, is that I would have never allowed things to go on _this far and for this long_ between us if I wasn't convinced that I'm into you _just as much_ as you're into me. I would have _never_ approached our family if I wasn't serious about you. I've told you several times how much I like you and I've meant every single word of it. I would have _never_ told you that or acted romantically towards you if I _wasn't_ one hundred percent feeling it. You can trust me on that. You're the _last person_ in this world I'd ever want to hurt for _so_ many reasons. But first and foremost, I'd never want to hurt you because I _like_ you Maya, _so much,_ just as much as you like me. We're on the same page. You weren't the only one who felt something _really powerful_ _and special_ in that moment when we were in my room. The difference is that I just didn't freak out about it and then try to drive myself crazy all day by thinking about the worst case scenario," He grinned at her teasingly. Maya smiled at his succinct description of her actions.

" _Now,_ with that being said," Josh continued, "I _can't_ tell you, right now, with one hundred percent certainty that I _more than_ like you. I'm pretty sure I'm a lot closer than when we first spoke about this on my birthday. I think it's still too early for me- and I wanna make sure that we've gotten to know each other even _more_ and have a stronger friendship and foundation before I can start throwing around the 'l word.' You get what I'm saying?" Maya nodded.

"Ok, great," Josh replied. "So, in short, I don't want you worrying anymore about my feelings for you Maya because they're very strong- just like yours- and I'm not going anywhere any time soon. _But_ , actions do speak louder than words so, I guess it's time to show some action and not just words. Hopefully, _this big action,_ will show you how serious I am, and make most of your worries and worst case scenarios disappear once and for all."

"What are you talking about, Josh?" Maya asked him, her gaze fixated on him and her heart pounding.

Josh took a deep breath. _This is the only way to convince her._ He thought as his heart pounded so hard that it felt like it was going to fly out of his chest. _I never want her driving herself crazy or putting her life on hold because of me. It's time to do this Matthews. You want this just as much as she does anyway. You can deal with the parents and the consequences later. Right now, just make her- and yourself- happy. That's all. Stop worrying so much- and just do it! Come on! Be a MAN!_

"Josh!" Maya yelled out his name and tore his attention away from his thoughts. "What the hell? You're driving me _crazy_ here. What _action_ are you talking about? Just tell me already!" She demanded.

"Right, sorry about that," Josh muttered as he took another deep breath and ran his hand through his hair before speaking. "Maya Penelope Hunter," He stated her full name with a wide, excited grin.

" _Oh my God_ ," Maya whispered in shock as she immediately felt tears bubbling up at the corner of her eyes. She could not _believe_ what was happening.

"I know I said I'd wait three years to officially ask you this, but I think it's been long enough, and I think you would agree with me on that," Josh stated softly. "So, instead of wasting more of _your_ time, I think it's time to make things official so there will be no more doubts, no more worries, no more questions from _anybody_ , _and_ no more confusion between us. I think, 'someday' should start _now_. At your favorite amusement park!" He grinned at her and glanced around at their surroundings. Everyone was in their own world, enjoying the beautiful, sunny afternoon. They were completely oblivious to the special moment that was happening between them. A moment that Josh was sure they would both remember and cherish for the rest of their lives- regardless of whatever happened between them in the future or where Life and God decided to take them.

"Anyway, I guess what I'm trying to say is," Josh paused when he noticed a tear slowly roll down her cheek. His heart soared with immense affection as he grinned amusedly at her. "Oh, Maya...I haven't even asked yet and you're already crying? What are you gonna do when I do ask?" He teased her.

"Oh my God, Josh, just _ask!"_ Maya retorted. "You're taking too long! I'm about to explode!"

Josh burst out laughing so hard at her outburst that tears came into his eyes as well. He took another deep breath to calm himself down somewhat before he spoke again. "My Lil Ferret," He said with a wide, affectionate grin. "Also known as Maya Penelope Hunter, will you on this day and going forward be officially, my girlfriend?"

" _Oh my God_ ," Maya muttered as more tears rolled down her cheeks. She buried her face in her hands for a moment as she tried to calm herself down. Josh was awash in a puddle of emotions himself as he quietly watched her. He felt a deep sense of euphoria. Butterflies were practically dancing in his stomach. He was pretty sure he could _feel_ them. He couldn't stop grinning like a clown as he gazed at her. And the tears in his eyes weren't in a hurry to go anywhere. For a moment, he remembered the little blonde girl in pigtails with bright blue eyes and a captivating smile who had been willing to follow him _anywhere._ He remembered her laughter. He remembered her sorrow. He remembered her _joy._ Almost a decade later and here she was- still so _captivating_ , so _pure,_ so _sorrowful_ , so _joyful_ and so willing to follow him _anywhere._ What the hell had he done to have someone like _her_ in his life _?_ To have someone like _her_ care _so much_ about _him?_ The tears in his eyes multiplied. He gently wiped them away.

" _Yes_ , Boing," Maya finally responded as she gazed at him, her eyes still brimming with tears. "Yes! I'll be your girlfriend," She beamed at him. "Now lemme try and say the same thing in Spanish!" She said excitedly.

Josh chuckled in amusement as he watched her. "Ok, go ahead," He encouraged her.

" _Si, yo estare tu novia!_ Is that right?" She asked him.

Josh gazed at her affectionately. "You're close. Instead of _estar,_ you should use the verb, _ser,_ " He corrected her.

"Ohh, ok," Maya responded. "Ok, I'm gonna try again! _Si! Yo sere tu novia, Boing!"_

Josh burst out laughing as he shook his head at her in immense amusement.

" _You're absolutely adorable_ ," He muttered, beaming at her. Maya grinned from ear to ear at that comment as she bit her lip softly. Josh leaned in closer to her and cupped her cheek with his hand. He paused for a moment to gaze at her. " _Me gustas mucho, Maya. Estoy muy feliz que seas mi novia,"_ He whispered in Spanish before immediately translating to English: _"I like you a lot, Maya. I'm very happy that you're my girlfriend."_ Maya blushed as she closed her eyes and waited for him. Josh wasted no time in officially sealing their "someday"as his lips touched hers.

For a moment, everything else disappeared and it was just the two of them underneath the scorching, June afternoon sun - the same sun which had shone on them nine years ago on a hot, June afternoon as they sat chatting about nothing and everything in his brand new tree-house.


	23. Chapter 23

" _Dude,_ I can't believe you finally put a ring on it! I'm  _so_ proud of you. I think I'm gonna cry," Andrew's voice rang out teasingly from Josh's phone.

Josh burst out laughing before shaking his head in amusement. "Shut the hell up Drew!" He scolded his best friend. He was busy packing his clothes while chatting with Andrew on the phone. He had the phone set to speaker mode so he could accomplish both tasks simultaneously.

It was time for the Matthews' annual July 4th weekend get-together. Josh would be traveling with Cory, Topanga, Shawn and Katy (along with Riley, Maya and Auggie) to the Matthews family home in Philly the next day for the three-day weekend long reunion and celebration of the nation's independence.

As he packed his belongings on the humid Thursday night, Josh was getting more excited about heading back home and seeing his entire family under one roof. The last time they had all reunited in Philly was last year Christmas. He hadn't seen his older brother, Eric Matthews (who was now a "senator" and was busy traveling the country), and his sister, Morgan (who was engaged and was living on the West Coast in California with her fiancé) since then. He was looking forward to catching up with them.

He was also excited to see his closest high school friends again. Josh had already planned to stay in Cedar Heights for the entire month of July so that he could help his parents at their small family store ( _Matthews & Son Sporting Goods_) as well as spend some time with his friends before they all headed off to college in August.

"Yo, seriously, I'm so happy for you guys!" Andrew spoke again. "Have you told Jas yet? She's gonna go  _crazy_. Watch her call me right away and be like, ' _Oh my gosh!_ Babe! We've  _got_ to have a double date with Josh and Maya! Like  _now_!'"

Josh burst out laughing at Andrew's perfect imitation of his girlfriend.  _That will definitely be Jas' reaction_ , he thought, grinning widely in amusement.

"Nah, haven't told her yet," Josh responded as he folded a pair of jeans and neatly placed it in his suitcase. "You're the first friend I've told actually. I've been busy trying to get on her dad's good side all week. Let's just say, he wasn't too happy when I informed him of our new relationship status."

"Uh-oh," Andrew intoned. "Why, what's his problem? Aren't you all like a big family? He should be lucky you're the one with her and not some random college dude he doesn't even know. Cos I bet you, if that was the case, it will all probably be a secret and he wouldn't even know that Maya was dating a college dude. Cos she as hell wouldn't be telling him about it. You know what I'm saying? At least,  _you_  respected him enough to let him know since you family. He should be giving you some credit for that."

Josh sighed as he thought of the tough conversation he had with Shawn earlier that week. "I think his biggest issue was that just a few months ago, I made that whole big announcement about us playing the long game and that we were gonna take it slow and I was just gonna be friends with Maya until she turned 18. He had just started feeling cool with that. So, he was really annoyed that I upgraded it to an official relationship without asking him for permission first or discussing it with him. And he was also suspicious of my motives in wanting to date her so soon. Which makes sense I suppose."

"I mean, I guess it does. Except if he  _knows_ you, then he shouldn't be too worried," Andrew responded passionately. "I mean, again, you aint some college dude who's just looking to smash and dash a hot chick. You actually really care about Blondie. Let's keep it real man. You remember first semester when we went to all those Frat parties? People were sneaking in  _high school chicks._ Remember that?"

"Yeah," Josh responded as he thought of some of the wild college Fraternity parties that Andrew had dragged him to their first semester at NYU out of curiosity. Both he and Andrew stopped attending those type of parties after their first few extremely uncomfortable experiences. Ultimately, they both realized that the thrill of "getting super drunk and wasted" and meeting their new classmates wasn't worth the awkward (and probably illegal) sexual encounters that they often witnessed at those parties.

"I mean, I can't imagine that those girls' daddies knew what the hell was going on with their daughters," Andrew continued. "But that  _aint_ you, Bro. So, I hope he chills out and gives you a chance before some other asshole snags his daughter and then he's  _really_ screwed cos he aint gone know _nu'in_. I'm just keeping it real."

"I know," Josh muttered as he ran his hand through his hair in frustration and moved the phone closer to him. "Anyway, I apologized of course and explained to him that I just want to be there for Maya, and I didn't want her worrying anymore about  _when_ or _if_ she and I would ever become official which is why I just went ahead and did it. I mean, the whole thing was  _really_ spontaneous. I certainly didn't wake up that day thinking I was gonna ask her to be my girlfriend. It just felt  _right_ to do it in that moment, so I did it. You know what I mean?"

"Yeah, I feel you man," Andrew responded. "No need to waste time if you know it's right- that's my motto. I been trying to get you to see that since Blondie confessed last year."

Josh chuckled. "True. if you had it your way, we'd probably be celebrating our first anniversary by now."

Andrew laughed. "Seriously, dude. You'd be  _way_ past that. I really hope her dad chills out. This is a  _good_ thing. And I bet Blondie went  _crazy_  when you popped the question."

Josh grinned as he thought fondly of the memorable moment that occurred just a few days prior. "She was aight," He simply stated.

Andrew burst out laughing. "Understatement of the century, Matthews," He said after his laughter subsided.

"I feel like Shawn- Maya's dad- cooled down a bit though once I assured him that I'll still be following all his rules for the next three years and making sure we take things slow. And if I screw up then he's free to kill me any time, I told him," Josh stated with an amused grin.

"Wait, what rules?" Andrew asked curiously.

"He gave us some 'conditions' to follow when I first told him about the long game," Josh explained. "They were pretty basic- no making out, no sex, bringing her home before curfew...the usual."

Andrew laughed. " _Dude_ , this guy don't play. He treating you guys like you in middle school."

Josh chuckled. "Yeah, pretty much. But I get where he's coming from- cos of the age difference and because this is basically Maya's first, serious relationship. I mean, I'm her first a lot of things right now, come to think of it. And it's a lot of firsts for Shawn too. Maya is his first 'daughter' after he recently adopted her. So, I'm sure he's freaking out and just trying to do the right thing for her. I would feel the same way too I guess."

"True," Andrew agreed. "She's very innocent. Imma say it again though. He should be glad you her first boyfriend cos she's a beautiful, innocent girl- and there are a lotta assholes out there who'd be gunning to take advantage of that. Unfortunately, that's just how it is. And it all starts in high school. Neways, let's be for real though man, you  _really_ gonna be following all those rules? I know definitely you aint planning to smash any time soon, but the  _no making out_  rule? Seriously? Haven't you guys broken that already?"

"No actually," Josh responded with an amused grin. "I've been pretty careful about not going too far with physical stuff- cos, you know, we were playing the long game. I wanted the focus to be on friendship."

" _Damn_ , man. Aint you the Disney gentleman," Andrew replied teasingly. "Good for you. What about now that you official, though? You still gone be holding back?"

"Well, we're not gonna be rushing into anything," Josh simply stated. "I'm gonna do my best to make sure of that. I don't wanna feel like I need to hide in a hole every time I see her dad cos I went too far or something, you know what I mean? He doesn't like me too much right now.  _And_ I don't ever want her to get hurt.  _So_ , we're gonna be taking it slow. That's the plan."

Andrew chuckled. " _Well,_ good luck with that, young man.  _God bless ya_. Lemme know how your plan is working out in a month or so, ok?"

Josh laughed. "You sound skeptical."

"I sound like a dude," Andrew shot back with an amused chuckle. "All I'm saying is best of luck to ya. You certainly got the right mind  _and_ the right intention and that's what matters. I'm wishing you guys all the best. Really happy for you. I'm certainly looking forward to the double date which Jas will start planning as soon as you tell her... _Oh, speak of the devil._ Guess who's Facetiming me  _right now?!_ "

Josh burst out laughing. "Lemme guess, you're gonna tell her before I do."

"Well, you know me with my Joshua Matthews gossip. I can't hold it in for very long. You don't mind if I tell her right? It's gone be  _real_ hard to hold it in," Andrew said.

Josh grinned in amusement. "Sure, go ahead Drew. Knock yourself out, homie."

" _Awesome!_  Alright. Gotta go man. Have fun in Philly with your fam  _and_ your girl _._ I'll talk to you at some point?  _Oh_ , have you guys had your first date yet?!" He asked Josh excitedly.

"No," Josh responded. "This was my last week of work at the hospital, so I haven't had much time. PIus, I'm giving Shawn some time to cool off. I was thinking  _maybe_  this weekend when we're in Philly. Perhaps, taking her somewhere?"

"Oh yeah, that'll be nice," Andrew commented. "You could show her around. Take her to a romantic spot. What exactly you got in mind though?"

"Not sure. Maybe a picnic? I have to figure it out," Josh said.

"Picnic's good! Romantic, simple  _and_ affordable. Considering you a poor, broke-ass college student, that's a  _great_ idea for a first date," Andrew teased him.

Josh chuckled. "Yeah, I could definitely use some more money that's for sure," He sighed.

"No worries, man. One day when you raking in the dough as a hot-shot doctor for the rich ole ladies in Smallville, make sure to remember us small folk," Andrew stated.

Josh burst out laughing. "I think you'll be raking in the dough before I do  _Mr. Business and Finance Major_ ," He shot back at Andrew.

"Amen to that, brother! You bet I will!" Andrew responded confidently. "Alright Bro, I'll catch you later. Gotta call Ms. Jasmine McLaughlin back and tell her the good news!"

Josh chuckled. "Ok, Drew. Later. Tell Jas she can call me any time. I'll fill her in on the deets. Bye man."

"Bye Josh."

Josh hung up the phone with an amused grin. He glanced at the time:  _9:15pm._ Maya and Riley would be home soon. The two girls and the rest of their "gang" had been invited to bowling at  _Frames Bowling Lounge_ in Times Square by Stuart Minkus, Farkle Minkus' extremely wealthy dad and Cory and Topanga's childhood classmate at  _John Adams Junior High_. It was Stuart's summer treat for the group, as well as a chance for them to spend some time together before separating for the summer. Farkle was going on a two-week vacation to the Caribbean with his family, Smackle would be spending a month in Puerto Rico where her family was from, while Lucas and Zay were heading to Texas for a month-long visit. Maya and Riley were the only ones staying in New York for most of the summer.

Before leaving at around 7pm that evening for bowling, both girls tried to convince Josh to join them, but he politely refused. He wanted the close group of friends to spend some quality, fun time together without his interference. He also didn't feel comfortable showing up for the event without Stuart Minkus' prior knowledge or invitation since he was the one paying for the group.

"But  _Boyiiing,_ I want you to come," Maya whined (and pouted) as she wrapped her arms around his waist and stared up at him. He gazed down at her with an affectionate smile. She was wearing a blue, knee-length, spaghetti strap jean dress with black leggings. Her long, wavy blonde hair was cascading down her shoulders. Josh noticed she had on a little bit of makeup to accentuate her large blue eyes and her pink lips. She looked absolutely beautiful. In that moment, he could hold her in his arms and gaze at her forever.

"Sorry, Lil Ferret," He told her as he gently caressed her hair. "I'll be right here though waiting- and packing- when you get back," He grinned at her. "Go have some fun. And by the way, you look gorgeous. It's almost a lil bit  _too much_ for bowling. Anywhere else you planning to go tonight that your  _boyfriend_  should probably know about?" He gave her a playful, suspicious look.

Maya grinned mischievously at him. " _Maybe._ If you come with me, you can find out," She winked at him. Josh chuckled and shook his head at her. "I'll see you later," He told her. "Have a good time."

" _Fine._ Stay home and be boring, old man," Maya disengaged herself from him and started walking towards Riley who was waiting by the door.

"Bye Uncle Josh. Too bad you can't come," Riley told him.

"Have fun Riles. Make sure to keep an eye on this one for me," He pointed at Maya.

Riley giggled. "I'll try," She said. "Can't make any promises."

"Let's go Riles! Forget Uncle Boing! Let him be lame and boring  _all by himself_!" Maya turned around and gave Josh a teasing grin.

"Hold on! I don't get a goodbye kiss?" Josh asked her.

" _No-ppe!_ Old, boring boyfriends don't get goodbye kisses. Sorry! Ya outta luck!  _See ya!_ " Maya waved goodbye at him before grabbing Riley's hand and stepping out of Josh's room.

" _So_ , what you're saying, Ms. Hunter, is that I'm gonna have to chase you for my kiss," Josh stated as he came to stand by the door and faced the two girls with a wide, teasing grin.

Riley giggled as she watched Josh and Maya's flirtatious interaction.

"Um, you can  _try_ ," Maya retorted. "But I can be fast you know. You've seen me run."

Josh chuckled amusedly. "Yeah, I've seen you run against _Auggie and Ava_ , Maya. You may be able to outrun little kids but I highly doubt you have much of a chance against me. Just saying.  _And,_ just so you can't say I didn't warn ya, if you force me to chase you and I catch you- which I most definitely will- I'm gonna have some fun tickling you like crazy first  _before_ I get my kiss. So, you got two choices. Either, you give me my kiss  _now_ \- no chase, no tickling, no hassle-  _or_ force me to chase you and get it but with a lotta tickling and hassling. What's it gonna be, kiddo? Choose wisely," He winked at her.

Riley chuckled in immense amusement after Josh's speech. "You should pick option 1, Maya," She quickly advised her friend. "There's no way you're going to outrun Uncle Josh. And you  _hate_  being tickled."

"Yes, she does," Josh nodded with a wide, teasing grin. "Tick, tock, Ms. Hunter. What're you gonna do?"

Maya sighed loudly before muttering, " _goshdarnit,"_ under her breath. "I'll see you in a sec Riles," She finally spoke after a moment of contemplation. "Guess I'm being forced to kiss this super boring frog. Hopefully, he will turn into a hot, charming prince after my kiss. But I aint holding my breath.  _Ugh._ " Josh and Riley both burst out laughing at her witty reference to the popular fairy tale story,  _The Frog Prince._

"Honey, if you hear me screaming for help, please save me quickly," Maya muttered to Riley before stepping back into Josh's room. Riley giggled. "Ok, Peaches. Good luck," She responded.

"Sorry Riles, this should only take a sec," Josh assured his niece.

"No worries, Uncle Josh," Riley beamed at him. "Take as long as you need. Lucas just texted me to call him actually, so I'm gonna find out what he wants. I'll be back in like ten minutes?"

"Ok sure. Thanks Riles!" Josh smiled widely at her before closing the door.

" _Well,_ hello there,  _Girlfriend_ ," He addressed Maya with a wide, amused grin.

Maya giggled at the comical way in which he said the word, "girlfriend." She then rolled her eyes and pretended to be annoyed at the whole situation. " _Ugh,_ what d'you want, Old Man? Can't ya just leave me alone?!" She stated sassily.

" _No-pe_ ," Josh responded with an amused chuckle as he approached her and wrapped his arms around her in order to pull her closer to him. "Not when you're  _this_ gorgeous which is pretty much all the time,  _except_ for  _maybe_ the times when you  _really_  get on my nerves. But that's not often, so, yeah, I'm not gonna be leaving you alone until you're old and wrinkly like me here, and not gorgeous anymore. Luckily for you, you got three more years till that happens, since,  _let's not forget,_ you  _are_ three years younger than me." Maya burst out laughing as she gazed at him affectionately.

"You're crazy Joshua Matthews," She said, shaking her head in amusement.

"Crazy for you," Josh immediately responded with a flirtatious wink.

"Oh,  _shut_ up!" Maya retorted as she burst out laughing. Josh laughed also.

"I know, that was cheesy right?" He said after their laughter ceased.

"Um yeah. And it also sounds like you tell  _all_ the girls that. Well, back when you were single probably. Ya need to do better than that Boing if you  _really_  want this kiss. Otherwise you better leave me alone so I can go have some fun," She teased him.

Josh grinned widely before pulling her even closer to him and leaning in towards her. Maya gasped as she gazed into his eyes and felt his breath on her face.

"Ok, how about I tell you how I'm  _really_ feeling right now," He told her softly. "I don't  _really_ need the kiss cos with the way you're looking right now, I could just hold you and stare at you forever.  _But_ I'm also a young lad with a lotta hormones so a kiss will be nice. Or  _maybe_ a couple. You can decide," He grinned at her. Maya burst out laughing.

"Wow, way to ruin a really romantic moment Boing. You were doing great until the last sentence," She told him.

Josh chuckled. "Just keeping it real," He responded.

"Fine," Maya muttered as she also leaned in.

"I suppose you could get  _maybe_ a couple kisses, seeing as you're my boyfriend and all," She said.

"Yay!" Josh exclaimed excitedly with a wide grin.

Maya burst out laughing. "Oh my gosh, you sound  _just like_  your niece. You say it the  _exact same way_ ," She observed.

"Really? I've never noticed that. I also don't say 'yay' a lot. You've gotta get me  _really_ excited to say that. Cor and Riley say it though for like every lil thing," Josh pointed out.

"Yep. And you said it just like Riles. If your voice was a little higher, I woulda thought you were her," Maya stated teasingly.

"Oh dear," Josh chuckled. "Well, we  _definitely_ don't want that seeing as I'm about to kiss you now."

Maya giggled. "No, we definitely do not," She agreed. "I think it's cute that you remind me of your niece but probably not at this moment."

"Ok, enough talking. Hush now, Lil Ferret," Josh whispered before finally closing the gap between them and giving her a passionate, but chaste, kiss while caressing her cheek. He pulled away after a few seconds before leaning in again and giving her a gentler kiss. When he was finished, he rested his forehead on hers for a few seconds before pulling back and giving her a fond smile.

"I'm all done!" He exclaimed. "You can go now. See ya!"

Maya laughed and shook her head at him. "You sure you don't wanna come?" She asked him. "Farkle's dad  _really_ wouldn't mind and the group won't either. Anyone complains, I'm gonna beat 'em up anyways so no one will say anything." She grinned mischievously at him.

Josh burst out laughing. "Nah, it's ok." He said. "Next time, I'll join you guys. But now, you guys are all getting separated for the summer and this is your time to bond so I don't really want to interfere. I'll have fun packing instead," He pointed to his suitcase, "and maybe you can help me when you get back?" He asked her.

"Hmm, that sounds  _really_ boring. I'll think about it," She responded.

Josh chuckled and drew her closer to himself for a hug as he rested his chin on her head. "See you later, kiddo. Try to knock down as many pins as you can, ok? You better win the game," He told her.

"I'll miss you," Maya muttered softly as she rested her head on his chest. "I can't believe you're gonna be away for a  _whole month_ in Philly. That's a  _long_ time, Boing."

"Aww," Josh intoned as he gave her a soft kiss on the head. "I'll miss you too, Lil Ferret," He told her. "But, let's look on the bright side. We are going to be spending the whole weekend together- with the entire family, but still, we'll be together,  _and_ Philly is not that far from here. Not to mention, your boyfriend is a  _great_ driver. I know we won't see each other in person  _everyday_ this month, but I  _will_ come to visit on a couple weekends before the month ends. And then, I'll be back full time starting in August! So, it really won't be too bad, I promise," He pulled away from the embrace so he could see her face and smiled fondly at her.

Maya gave him a frown. "I'm  _still_ not happy," She muttered. "But poor Riles is probably wondering what the heck is going on between us so I'm gonna drop this for  _now._ I'll yell at you some more for  _ditching_  your new girlfriend this  _whole_ summer when I come back, okay?"

Josh laughed. "Oh gee. Can't wait for that convo!" He said sarcastically. Maya giggled and reached up to kiss him again for a few seconds.

"See you later, Boyfriend Boing," She told him softly.

"Bye, Girlfriend Ferret," Josh replied with a teasing grin. Maya chuckled at the new nickname before heading to the door. Josh watched her fondly as she opened his door, turned back around to give him a flirtatious wink before walking out. He took in a deep breath to calm his racing heart before brushing his hand through his hair. He had been packing for about an hour for the next day's trip when he heard his phone ringing. It was Andrew. Smiling widely in amusement, he quickly answered the call and updated his best friend on his new relationship status.


	24. Chapter 24

" _Wow. Long_ time since I've been in here," Maya said as she strolled around Josh's childhood bedroom in Philly. All of the family members had arrived a few hours ago and most were in their designated rooms unpacking, while Amy Matthews (Josh's Mom), Topanga and Katy prepared dinner downstairs. It was going to be a grand dinner to kick off the celebratory holiday weekend so the three ladies were determined to make the perfect meal. In return, the men (and teenagers) were in charge of unpacking, and would also clean the dishes after dinner.

Riley and Maya would be sleeping with Morgan Matthews in her room. Shawn and Cory were bunking in with Eric Matthews in Cory and Eric's shared childhood bedroom. Topanga and Katy would share the guest room, and Auggie would be sleeping with Josh in his room.

With an hour to go before dinner would be ready at 6pm, Maya, Morgan and Riley were happily chatting and bonding in their room after they finished unpacking. At some point during the conversation, Maya's phone buzzed with a text message notification. The excitement that coursed through her when she felt her phone vibrate was the only sign she needed to know who the message was from. Surely enough, upon checking, she saw a short message from _Boyfriend Boing_ \- the nickname she had recently given Josh on her phone.

_**Boyfriend Boing**_ : _Girlfriend Ferret- hello!_ _Are you done unpacking? An hour left before dinner. Wanna come hang in my room? Augs is not here! So come now. I miss you :)_

Maya grinned widely when she read the message.

"Ooh, what you got there Maya? That's gotta be the biggest smile I've ever seen. Special message from a _special someone_?" Morgan teased her while Riley smiled knowingly at Maya.

"Oh, it's nothing," Maya waved her hand dismissively. "I do have to use the bathroom though so I'll see you ladies in a bit?"

Morgan and Riley both laughed. "Why do I have a feeling you're not coming back any time soon?" Morgan said. "You can be honest you know. This is the cool ladies room. That's why they put us together. Whatever we discuss here, stays here. Trust me, I'm _really_ good at keeping secrets."

Maya smiled. "I appreciate that Morgan. Maybe I'll tell you later this weekend?"

"Ok sure," Morgan responded with a warm smile. "You can go now. I won't keep ya. Have fun using the bathroom," She told Maya with a teasing grin.

Maya chuckled. "Ok, I will. See you two at dinner."

As Maya walked out she heard Morgan ask Riley in a low voice if she knew anything about Maya's "special someone."

"No idea," She heard Riley respond after a nervous giggle.

_Love you, Riles!_ Maya thought with a warm smile as she quickly made her way to Josh's room. She loved Riley Matthews to death and she always would. If there was anyone in her life whom she could trust _no matter what_ \- it was her best friend whom she also considered a beloved sister.

"I think the last time I was in your room was when I was six right? That first summer when we met?" Maya asked Josh as she observed the numerous framed pictures he had hung up on his wall. There were pictures of him when he was a kid engaged in various activities- mainly athletics, pictures of his friends and his family, as well as a few random pictures of his neighborhood, the sunset and nature. Maya was fascinated as she gazed at the sea of pictures. Each picture told a unique story about him, and she was so curious to know every single story about the boy she cared so much for.

"Yeah probably," Josh answered her. "I'm not sure. You might have come into my room again when you guys came for Christmas later on. I mean you were always following me around like a lil puppy so I wouldn't be surprised if you followed me in here a bunch of times," He grinned teasingly at her.

"I did _not!_ " Maya immediately protested that assertion. "My Mama raised me to be a respectable young lady and to stay away from boys _and_ their rooms. _They're no good!_ She always said. _You can't trust 'em Baby Girl!_ "

Josh burst out laughing as he gazed at her. "Well clearly, that advice didn't work cos you started stalking boys when you _six._ Or maybe even before- who knows?" He teased her.

"Nah, it _did_ work for the most part," Maya replied with a thoughtful expression on her face. "I didn't mess with boys and they didn't mess with me. Even before I met Riles- when I was with those girls at the park- causing trouble. Apparently, I looked too mean or something so the boys were scared of me. It just didn't work with _you._ I think it's cos you were part of this family. So you weren't this random boy that I was supposed to defend myself against. I trusted Riley and she trusted you. She was always talking about her Uncle Josh- _Uncle Josh this_ and _Uncle Josh that_. So when I _finally_ met you- I was like _oh, so this is Uncle Josh. He seems nice. I like him!_ " She told him with a wide smile.

Josh chuckled. " _Really?_ It was that instantaneous? You didn't even know me. I could have turned out to be a huge jerk!"

"True," Maya muttered. "Which is why I didn't start following you around right away. I kinda just tagged along with Riley and just watched you. I think it was the way you treated Riley. You were so nice and caring with her and you were also very nice to me and tried to get me involved in every game cos I was super shy at first."

"Yeah, you were," Josh nodded.

"So eventually, I started warming up to ya," Maya continued. "And then I just couldn't leave you alone," She winked at him.

Josh laughed as he also tried to recall their childhood memories of each other. "I remember one time when you approached me alone- without Riley. I was playing soccer by myself in the backyard cos all my friends were busy. And I was super bored of playing video games in my room. You walked up to me and you said to me in the shyest, cutest voice, ' _Josh? Can I play too? I'm bored. Riley is sleeping.'_ "

Maya burst out laughing. "I don't remember this at all," She said.

"Oh I do," Josh retorted. "But only because it was the first time I tickled you and I noticed how fun it was. But anyway, I'm getting to that part. So you asked to play with me and I was like, _sure, why not? It's not like I got anyone else to play with._ Long story short, we started playing - and you were actually pretty good. I mean, you weren't kicking the ball the right way and I was scoring all of the goals, but you were feisty and determined to put up a challenge instead of just giving up so that made the game exciting for me. Anyways, at one point, I guess you finally got frustrated that I was scoring all the goals so you just grabbed the ball and just started _running off_ _with my ball!_ And for a second, I just stood there _absolutely shocked._ I was just like, _What the hell? Who is this girl? She's cuckoo!_ "

Maya giggled in immense amusement as she listened to his story.

"And then I was like, _guess I gotta chase her for my ball._ So I started running after you. And of course, I quickly caught up to you, grabbed you from behind to stop ya, and then tried to grab my ball. But you had this iron grip on it. You were _not_ letting go of the ball no matter how hard I tried to grab it. So I was like, _what do I do?_ If you were one of my guy friends, I would have probably just tackled you to the ground and started fighting till you gave up my ball. But I was raised _never to hit a girl._ So I couldn't do that. So then, I got a _brilliant_ idea to just start tickling you. Hopefully, that would make you distracted enough that I could easily get my ball. And guess what? That's _exactly_ what happened! I started tickling you- and you just fell to the ground and started rolling around with the _loudest laughter that I had ever heard in my entire nine year old life._ I was _so amused_. I just started laughing at the way _you_ were laughing. And then of course, I couldn't resist tickling you some more just to hear you laugh like that. It was just so funny to me to see how sensitive _this feisty, tough, crazy girl_ was to just a little bit of tickling. It was the first time I had ever really seen you come alive and just be like _really_ happy. So that was really cool to see. Anyway, that's how tickling you became one of my _favorite hobbies_. _Muahahaha,_ " He gave her a mischievous smile as he wiggled his fingers at her in a threatening manner.

Maya burst out laughing at his silliness. " _Please_ don't tickle me right now," She pleaded with him.

Josh laughed. "Don't worry. _Not_ gonna do that. The last thing I want is for everyone to hear your crazy laughter and barge in here and then lots of questions will be asked. I'm trying to avoid that," He told her straightforwardly.

"Shawn's still giving you a hard time?" Maya asked with a slight frown. "I spoke to him but...maybe I should speak to him again?"

"No it's fine," Josh shook his head. "I think that'll just make it worse. His problem is not with you- it's with me. So, it's best if you stay out of it and let me handle it. I'll talk to him some more this weekend. Don't worry about it, ok? It's gonna be fine," He reassured her with a warm smile.

"Ok," Maya responded. "But if he starts _really_ giving you a hard time, you gotta let me know so I can set him straight. He aint the boss of me."

Josh chuckled loudly at that statement. "He is, Maya. He's _definitely_ your boss- whether you like it or not. That's kinda what happens when someone becomes your father and guardian. Even when you're 18, they're still your boss. You still gotta listen to 'em- to a certain extent."

"Aww, are you talking about your Daddy now, Boing?" Maya asked him with a teasing grin.

Josh smiled widely in amusement. "Yeah, I guess I am."

"You still gotta tell him and your Mom right? About us?"

"Yep," Josh muttered as he let out a long sigh. "I still do. As well as the rest of my siblings- Eric and Morgan."

"Morgan was trying to get some deets out of me today."

" _Really?_ " Josh asked her in shock. "Hold on, how did she even suspect anything? We've been _really_ careful."

"You know when you texted me, we were all just sitting down and chatting in the room," Maya explained. "But when I saw your text, I got all...smiley," She looked away from him shyly when she admitted this to him. "So that kinda gave it away and she started asking lots of questions about who the text was from. But I didn't tell her."

Josh chuckled as he shook his head amusedly at her. "I should have known," He muttered. "Girls and sweet text messages. Maybe I shouldn't have sent it."

"No! It was a _really_ nice message. You need to send me more of those!" Maya demanded as she sat down on the bed next to him and rested her head on his shoulder. "Make sure you _always_ say that you miss me and you include _lots_ of heart emojis. Those are always nice," She said as she gazed up at him with a wide smile.

Josh laughed. "Ok _._ I'll send you more of those this month whenever I miss you, Girlfriend Ferret," He responded softly before leaning down and giving her a peck on her lips. After he pulled away, Maya groaned loudly.

" _Ugh,_ Boing. That was _so_ fast. I barely even felt it! What are you- running a freakin' marathon? You can only kiss for like 0.5 seconds now?!" She whined.

Josh burst out laughing at her comment. "Sorry kiddo. We gotta head down to dinner soon so no long _kissy_ sessions. Maybe after dinner? There'll be plenty of time then. After I'm done tickling you of course," He said.

Maya simply rolled her eyes and shook her head in disapproval.

"When are you planning to tell your parents about us? Today?" She asked him curiously. Josh sighed as he thought about her question. "Probably not today," He finally responded. "Maybe tomorrow. I think the rest of today should be drama free, dontcha think? Let's just not worry about anything," He stated with a smile.

"I'm on-board with that." Maya nodded in agreement. "How do you think your parents will take the news though? Better or worse than Shawn?"

"That's a great question," Josh replied as he thought of the answer. "I think they will probably take it a little better than Shawn. My dad's pretty understanding actually. He may have his concerns about the age difference and whether we're rushing into things but aside from that, I don't see him actually disapproving of the relationship. My Mom _really_ likes you- so she's gonna be cool with it."

"You think so?" Maya asked nervously.

"Yeah," Josh responded confidently. "Haven't you noticed? She practically dotes on you. As far she's concerned, you and Riles are both her granddaughters."

Maya smiled. "True. She has always been _really nice_ to me from the very beginning. Your dad too."

"Yeah," Josh nodded knowingly. "I mean, that's just my family. That's how my parents are and that's how they raised us. To always be nice to everyone, welcoming and kind. To help out, volunteer, give back- that was _always_ a big deal."

Maya nodded and smiled warmly at him. "I really like you, Josh. I _really_ hope no one has an issue with us being together or worse, tries to break us up. Cos I'm gonna flip out and go full-on crazy if that happens. _Not_ even kidding," She stated matter-of-factly.

Josh chuckled at that statement. "I think we're gonna be fine, kiddo," He reassured her again. "Right now, your dad is our most difficult challenge. Once Shawn is fully on-board, it's gonna be smooth sailing. And I'll take care of that this weekend, ok?"

"Ok, _great_!" Maya replied enthusiastically. "Before we head downstairs, can you tell me about these pictures? Cos, I'm super curious. We can start with your kid photos cos you look _so_ cute!" She said as she stared up at his wall.

Josh grinned. "Why, thank you, Ms. Hunter! You know, it's funny. You're not the only one I've heard that from. Apparently, I was the cutest, most adorable kid _ever_ cos literally everyone told me that when I was growing up- starting with my Mommy," He stated proudly.

Maya laughed. "Boy, that must have gotten to your head," She teased him.

Josh shrugged. "Not really, actually. _You_ were the one following boys around when you were six. I still thought girls had cooties until I was like ten. I wanted _nothing_ to do with them. Which was hilarious cos they all _really_ _liked_ me or wanted to be my friend. And I was just like, _uh, don't touch me! You're a girl!"_

Maya burst out laughing at his childish imitation of his ten year old self.

"So, wait," Maya cut him off, "how come you still played with me and allowed me to hang around you when you felt that way about girls at that age?" She asked him curiously.

"Well, you were different," Josh simply stated. "You were like family cos you were Riles' best friend. Now, if we only knew each other at like school and you were following me around everywhere- you would have terrified _the heck out of me_ and I would have avoided you like the plague."

Maya laughed. "This is _so_ interesting," She said.

"I know right," Josh agreed with an amused grin. "And grown-ups _always_ think that kids are so simple to figure out. They are actually very complicated human beings. Sometimes, even more so than adults. And then let's not mention the _crazy_ teenagers. _Especially,_ the 15 year old teen girls who think they're _all_ grown and they rule the world…"

"Heyy! Shut up! _"_ Maya scolded him when she realized he was talking about her. Josh laughed at her reaction. "Anyway, back to the photos! And I gotta be quick now cos ten minutes till dinner! I'm _so_ hungry."

"Me too," Maya nodded as she rubbed her stomach.

"Each of the kid photos up there represent my first time doing something that I was _really_ proud of," He explained. "So, this one for example, was my first time at soccer camp and I was wearing my soccer jersey. That was when I was like 8." He pointed to a framed picture of himself smiling while wearing a green and white soccer jersey with the words- _"Soccer Squad 75"_ \- written on it.

"Cool," Maya murmured with a bright smile as she gazed at the photo.

"And _this_ one was the first time I made the baseball team at John Adams Junior High. That's me in the middle and my best buddies, Kyle and Eric. You _might_ meet them this weekend," He told her.

"Wait, _what?!"_ Maya exclaimed in slight shock. "You've _never_ mentioned me meeting your high school friends. Are they coming to the barbecue tomorrow or something?"

" _Well,_ " Josh explained. "I might have confirmed at some point last night with Kyle that I'll be able to play some ball with them this Sunday afternoon. The boys from our Adams baseball team wanna get together and play, and Kyle's been asking me for a while to confirm if I could join them. They need a pitcher and apparently, I'm the best one they could think of. We'll be playing against the boys from a rival school. This is all completely for fun by the way cos it's like summer break now obviously. Anyways, I hesitated to confirm cos I wasn't sure if family stuff would get in the way, but as far as I know, we don't have anything planned yet on Sunday afternoon so I told Kyle I could join them. _So_ \- and this is _completely_ optional- if you wanna see my high school, and _maybe_ watch your boyfriend show off his phenomenal ball skills, then you can come watch my game on Sunday and _maybe_ meet my friends afterwards. But, that's only if you want to. You don't have to do anything you don't feel comfortable doing," He muttered shyly as he scratched the back of his hair nervously.

Maya beamed affectionately at him before approaching him and wrapping her arms around his neck. "I would _love_ to support my man as he completely _destroys_ whatever team you're playing against this Sunday. I'll be there Josh. You don't have to ask me twice. And I would also love to meet your friends. Hopefully, I don't make a fool out of myself. Thanks for inviting me," She grinned widely at him.

"Thanks for coming. And no, you won't make a fool out of yourself. Don't worry about that. It's really not that serious," Josh assured her.

" _Now,_ here's a _very important_ question. Should I make a sign that says- _'Go Boing!'_ or _'Go Josh!'_ I prefer _'Go Boing,'_ obviously, but I would also hate to embarrass you in front of your buddies. I know you're trying to be very manly and all these days," Maya teased him.

Josh burst out laughing before he responded. "If you don't mind, I prefer, _'Go Josh!'_ Let's try to keep the _Boing_ within the family and close friends for now."

Maya chuckled. "Ok, sure. Whatever you want, _Honey_ ," She stated in a low, saccharine tone. Josh blushed at her use of the term "honey." As she drew even more closer to him with her arms still wrapped securely around his neck, he felt his body leaning forward towards her and his lips aching to touch hers. Without any delay, he found himself kissing her passionately- completely lost in her presence. When he heard her moan softly, he instinctively deepened the kiss.

"What the _hell_ is going on here?!" Shawn Hunter's angry voice echoed in the room. _Shit,_ Josh thought in panic as he quickly disentangled himself from Maya. _Why the hell did you forget to lock the door, Josh?! How stupid are you?!_ He scolded himself in frustration as he tried to look anywhere but _at_ Shawn who was glaring at him like a hunter eyeing his prey.

" _Shawn, calm down_ ," Cory said softly to his best friend as he tried to dissolve the tension in the room. "Let's not jump to conclusions, ok?"

"The hell we're not gonna jump to conclusions, Cor. If this was Riley and the cowboy, would you be telling me to _calm down?_ Be _honest_ Cor."

"We have a family dinner downstairs now, Shawn. We can discuss this with them later. For now, let's not create a scene. You know what I mean?" Cory tried to reason with him.

"Well maybe if you can advise your lil bro to give my daughter _some breathing space_ so she can actually attend the family dinner, then _maybe_ I'll calm down," Shawn shot back angrily at Cory. "Is this why you were in such a rush to make her your _girlfriend_ , Baby Matthews? So you could be going in on her in _your room_ while your entire family is wondering where the hell you two are for our family dinner?! And I'm _supposed_ to give you my permission for this? Somehow, I'm the bad guy and the lame dad if I don't do that?!"

Josh was shaking with fear as he hung his head in shame.

"Dad, please, it's not what you think. Just hear us out," Maya stated in a trembling voice.

"I don't wanna hear it Maya. _You_ don't speak for him. He's an adult now. Let him speak for himself," Shawn shot back.

"I'll take it from here Shawn," Alan Matthews spoke up from behind Shawn and Cory. Both guys turned around to find Alan and the rest of the family quietly observing the entire scene.

"It's ok, Alan. I can handle this," Shawn responded.

"No you can't Shawn. You're way too emotional right now, Son," Alan retorted. "And you see these grey hairs here?" He pointed to his hair. "That's years of experience dealing with teenagers. And as I recall, _you_ used to be one of them. A _very_ troublesome one if my memory serves me correctly," He gave Shawn a teasing grin. Cory chuckled in amusement at his dad's comment.

"In any case, this situation obviously involves my youngest son so like I said, I'm gonna handle it from here," Alan stated. "Cory, take Shawn back to your room and calm him down. Everyone else, please be patient while we sort things out. I know we're all hungry and want to get this dinner started but I don't think there will be much happy eating tonight with all this drama going on. Josh?"

Josh looked up shyly at his father. "Yes, Dad?"

"We need to talk Son. _Now,_ " Alan stated in an authoritative tone. Josh nodded meekly and went back to staring at the floor.

"Maya, Sweetheart, you can join in the conversation too," Amy stated as she gave her a warm smile.

"Ok," Maya murmured shyly.

"Alright, we'll be right back everyone. And then this party can get started," Alan announced. "Let's go, kids," He signaled to Josh and Maya. "We can chat in my office."

Feeling utterly embarrassed and avoiding eye-contact with their family, Josh and Maya followed Amy and Alan towards the office.

" _Good luck, Peaches,"_ Riley muttered nervously to her friend as Maya walked past her. Maya smiled weakly back at her.

"OOH, JOSH AND MAYA ARE IN _TROUBLE_! JOSH AND MAYA SITTING IN A TREE! K. I.S.S-" Eric Matthews started chanting.

"SHUT UP ERIC!" Everyone scolded him in unison.

"Oh, not funny? Ok," Eric muttered and quickly shut up. There was a tense silence as they all wandered off silently to their rooms.


	25. Chapter 25

"What happened tonight, Son? I need you to be _completely_ honest with us," Alan said calmly as he sat next to his wife and faced Josh and Maya. "Because to be honest with you, I'm a bit disappointed right now. This is _not_ how I expected our family dinner to go tonight. Your Mom, Topanga and Katy worked very hard so that we could all enjoy our dinner together as a _family. Clearly_ , that's not what's happening right now. Now, I've seen Shawn angry, but tonight was on a whole other level. You should be _thanking God_ that I intervened when I did. Who knows what could have happened? So, talk to us. Now is your chance to explain yourself."

"And, just so you know, we're not here to yell at you guys or punish you," Amy said softly as she smiled affectionately at them. "There are _always_ two sides to every story. So, we want to hear _your_ side- and hopefully- that will help us get to the bottom of this situation and resolve any tensions. So, feel free to be completely honest with us- _both_ of you."

Josh sighed as he brushed his hand slowly through his hair before speaking. "Mom, Dad, I'm really sorry," He muttered. "It's all my fault and I take full responsibility for everything that happened tonight."

"Josh, you didn't do anything wrong," Maya interrupted him. "Mr. and Mrs. Matthews, he _really_ didn't," She boldly addressed Josh's parents.

" _Goodness_ , Maya, you can call us by our first names. No need for formalities. We've known you for a while now- since you were a wee, lil gal," Alan said as he chuckled softly.

Amy smiled warmly at her. "Let Josh finish speaking Maya. Ok, Sweetie?" She told her gently. "I know you're itching to defend him but allow him to say his part first and then you can say yours, alright?"

"Ok," Maya mumbled.

"Alright, _great_. Go ahead, Honey," She addressed Josh.

"Ok. So, yeah, like I was saying, I take full responsibility for everything," Josh stated. "I texted Maya like an hour before dinner and asked her to come hang out in my room. We were just chatting the whole time for the most part. And we were _definitely_ planning to come down for dinner on time. But then I got carried away towards the end when we started kissing and I shouldn't have done that. So, I'm really sorry. I promise it's not going to happen again," Josh looked up at his parents with an apologetic look on his face.

"It _wasn't_ like an inappropriate kiss," Maya immediately defended him. "He wasn't going too far or doing anything I was uncomfortable with. Josh has _never_ done that. I just wanted to make that clear. That's what I was trying to tell my dad, but he just didn't want to listen…" Maya's voice trailed off as she sighed in frustration.

"Shawn's not in the greatest mood to hear anything now Maya. But he'll calm down, so don't worry too much," Alan explained. "You know, as a father to this _troublesome_ lad over here," Alan pointed at Josh with a teasing grin, "I can kind of understand where Shawn is coming from. He's _very new_ to this whole fatherhood thing, Maya, and he's determined to be the _perfect father._ The problem is, there is no such thing as the _perfect father._ God knows with four kids, I've made my fair share of mistakes. Josh can tell you if you ask him. Right Son?"

"No comment, Pops," Josh muttered teasingly with a wide grin that Maya immediately noticed looked exactly like his father's. She couldn't help but smile widely in amusement as she observed their playful interaction.

Alan laughed when he heard Josh's diplomatic response. "See, that's the thing with Josh- he learned how to avoid _any type of confrontation_ really early on. _Never_ had a lotta issues with Josh. He knew when to keep his mouth shut, when to give the right answers, when to be polite, he knew how to act which way with which person cos he'll just sit down and _observe_ ya and figure you all out...At first I thought I had the strangest son in the world, but then I thought, nah, he's just _really_ smart. What dyou think, Sweetheart? Sometimes, I think we saved the best for last, wouldn't you agree? I'm banking on him making us super rich one day. Early retirement here we come! _Never_ had that expectation with Eric or Cory," He told his wife jokingly. Amy grinned amusedly at that comment and shook her head in disapproval.

"Maya, Sweetie, remember when Alan said he's not a _perfect father_? Well, he just showed why," Amy told her. "Playing favorites with your kids is a no - no. _Never_ a good idea. Remember that one day when you have your own kids. Ok, Sweetheart?"

Maya grinned. "Ok, Mrs. Matthews."

"Nope. _Amy_. Please call me, _Amy._ No need to be so formal," She smiled at her.

"Ok...Amy," Maya said shyly. She felt like she was doing something wrong. Josh grinned amusedly when he saw how timid and polite she was acting. He wasn't used to seeing this side of her very often. He was _definitely_ going to tease her about it later on.

"Alright, let's get back to the issue at hand and wrap this up. I dunno about you guys but I'm _starving_ , and my wife is a _great_ cook," He beamed at Amy before turning his attention back to them. "So, lemme get this straight. You two are a couple now? Boyfriend and girlfriend?" He asked curiously.

Josh and Maya both nodded. "Sorry you had to find out about it this way, Dad," Josh said. "I was gonna tell you and Mom about it- probably, tomorrow- but then this happened…"

"Right, I see," Alan responded. "How long have you guys been in this relationship, Son?"

"It's really been just this week," Josh stated. "I asked Maya to be my girlfriend just last Saturday."

"Wow, ok," Alan nodded in immense amusement. "I mean, I know you've always been kinda private with your personal stuff Josh, but you _really_ told us nothing here. I had no idea something was even going on between you two this whole time. I mean, did _you_ , Amy? And you just didn't tell me?"

"Nope," Amy shook her head. "I'm a bit disappointed you didn't give us a heads-up, Honey, about your relationship with Maya. I know you're a grown-up, college boy now but it still would have been nice to know _something_."

"Sorry Mom. Sorry Dad," Josh apologized once again. "Maya and I have liked each other for a while now but I _never_ thought I would act on my feelings for her because of the age difference. But that all kind of changed earlier this year when I went on Cory's class ski trip and we both admitted our feelings for each other. From there, things kind of progressed and yeah, here we are…" He muttered shyly as he glanced at Maya. Maya glanced back at him and they both gave each other a shy smile before quickly breaking eye-contact.

"Well, ok, that's good to know," Alan responded as he observed them closely.

"Maya, on a scale of 1-10 with 10 being the highest, how much do you like my son?" Amy asked her curiously.

Maya grinned widely. "Um, can I choose, 11?" She quickly responded. They all burst out laughing.

" _Wow,_ " Alan stated. "Well look at that. She's completely smitten. How about you, Son? Can we ask you the same question?"

"No," Josh immediately responded. This made them all laugh even harder.

"What? You're not ready to declare your undying love for your girlfriend? She just did for you!" Alan teased him.

"Yeah, I'm good," Josh muttered as he felt himself blushing slightly. Alan chuckled as he grinned widely at his son.

"I love teasing Josh, Maya. Just so you know. He always tries to be so serious and perfect so it's fun to ruffle his feathers a bit."

"I _love_ teasing him too!" Maya responded with an amused grin.

"Well look at that! We have something in common! I like her already, Amy! Let's approve their marriage!" Alan exclaimed jokingly.

Amy simply shook her head at her husband's shenanigans. "Let's get back on track, Alan. My food is getting cold," She stated matter-of-factly.

"Right, fair point," Alan stated as he turned back to Josh and Maya. "Well, thanks for being honest with us kids and telling us the whole story. I, personally, have no issues with you guys being a couple. You seem to like each other very much, even when you were kids. You remember, Sweetie?"

"Yep," Amy nodded with a fond smile. "Sitting in the tree-house, just talking. I remember that. To be honest, I'm not surprised at all. Cory and Topanga started off the same way. Only difference is- they grew up together. You guys still have a bit of a ways to go in terms of getting to know each other though."

"Not to mention the age difference," Alan pointed out. "Obviously, it wouldn't be a problem if you were both in college, but with Maya still being in high school...I assume that's why Shawn isn't too crazy about you two being together?"

"I'm not so sure," Josh replied with a frustrated sigh. "I think it's more like I didn't consult him before I asked Maya to be my girlfriend...so he felt blindsided once I told him...and he also probably thinks I'm rushing things cos I don't have pure motives, so yeah…"

"Well, you should've asked him before making such a big decision, Son, concerning his underage daughter," Alan pointed out. "I mean, you owe him that respect as Maya's father. So, you _definitely_ screwed up there. No wonder he's not a happy camper. I _am_ also concerned that _maybe_ you guys are rushing things. Like your mother said, there's a lot that you both still need to know and learn about each other, primarily because you've lived separate lives for a long time before things kind of clicked for you two earlier this year. Had you asked me for my advice, Josh, I would have told you to wait and get to know Maya more as a _friend_ before taking the next step of making her your _girlfriend. However,_ with that being said, what's done is done. _Now,_ the ultimate question as to whether you guys can continue with this relationship can _only_ be answered by your parents, Maya- Shawn and Katy. As supportive as Amy and I are of you guys, _they_ have the final say as to what happens next because Maya is underage. My advice will be for you guys to _listen_ to what Shawn and Katy have to say and to _obey_ them. Josh- your mother and I raised you to be a respectful, young man. You need to remember that you're _not_ the one in charge here. Maya's _parents_ are. Now, if Maya was older then perhaps this wouldn't be much of an issue. You two will both be adults. But precisely because she's _not-_ and here's where the age difference makes things complicated- you're _completely_ at the mercy of her parents' opinion of this relationship. I expect you to listen to them and to immediately follow whatever it is they tell you to do. I don't _ever_ wanna hear that you're cutting corners or doing anything with Maya behind their backs that they do not approve of. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Dad," Josh muttered meekly.

"You two also need to take things slow physically," Alan continued. "Now, Josh, I expect you to be the one to always lead in that aspect. I understand you like Maya a lot, but the slower, the better. I don't think I need to say more about that given we've had conversations in the past about this. Are we on the same page, Son?"

"Yeah," Josh nodded.

"Slow and steady _always_ wins the race. And focus on _friendship._ Because when you're old and boring as Amy and I are here, that's pretty much all you got left. Right, _Honey_?" He beamed at his wife.

"Shut up, Alan. Speak for yourself. Who says _I'm_ old and boring?" Amy retorted as she rolled her eyes at him. "Am I old and boring, Sweetheart?" She asked Josh.

"Of course not," Josh responded with an affectionate grin. "You're the most beautiful woman in the world, Mom. _No_ idea what this old bozo here is talking about," He pointed to his dad.

" _Wow,"_ Alan intoned as Amy and Maya burst out laughing. "I'm offended," Alan stated. "Can I still disown him, even though he's an adult now?" He asked his wife curiously. Amy giggled.

"What happened to him being your favorite? Ya changed your mind that quickly?" She teased her husband.

Alan chuckled at that comment. "Good point. I still need his money for early retirement. I forgot about that."

Josh simply shook his head in immense amusement at his parents' antics. He quickly whispered in Maya's ear, "Told you it'll be ok with them," before pulling back and rubbing her back soothingly. Maya smiled widely at him in response.

"Ok, _back to business_!" Alan stated as he clapped his hands together. "So, the good news is- _we're_ fine with you two being together provided you listen to all the advice we have given you. The bad news is- our opinion on this doesn't _really_ matter. Shawn and Katy are in charge here. And Shawn's _clearly_ not happy with any of this- which means, you guys will have to do some fingers crossing in the meantime. I think what we should do _now,_ is go talk to your parents, Maya. I think the four of us should sit down with them _right_ _now_ and hear _their_ side and how they want to proceed going forward. Hopefully, once we're done with that- we can all _pretend_ to have a happy, family dinner. _Now,_ fair warning, things might not go the way you guys are hoping for once we sit down with them. But that's _life._ Things don't always work out the way you want, and that's ok. Sometimes, it's all for the best. But it takes a while and a _lot_ of patience to realize that. You know what I'm saying, kids?"

"Yeah," Josh and Maya both nodded.

" _Good_. So, don't get disheartened if you hear anything tonight you don't wanna hear. Just be a little patient. Everything works out in the end. You can ask Cory and Topanga about that," Alan stated as he and Amy shared a knowing smile.

"Alright. Without further ado, let's go chat with Shawny. Hopefully, he's calmed down by now. _Brace yourself, kids_ ," Alan warned them.

"I don't want him killing my son, Alan. You're gonna have to watch him," Amy told her husband in a slightly worried tone.

Alan laughed. "Josh will be fine. You can take care of yourself, right Son?"

Josh raised his eyebrows at his dad. "I'm terrified, Dad. Just make sure you're ready to call 911. Also, don't be surprised if I'm hiding behind you the entire time. That's all I gotta say."

Amy, Maya and Alan chuckled in amusement at that comment.

"You'll be ok, Son," Alan stated. "You know, Maya, Amy's parents didn't approve of our relationship _way_ back in the day. So, she and I ended up eloping so that we could be together. _Not_ to give you guys any ideas or anything." Maya giggled in amusement.

"It _is_ worth mentioning that we were a little older than you guys when we did this," Amy explained. "So, please don't try it! I was 21 and Alan was 25. A handsome, charming, but a little wild young man."

"Why, _thank you_ , Sweetheart," Alan beamed at his wife. Josh rolled his eyes at his parents but couldn't help smiling a bit. He had heard their elopement love story several times over the years.

"See, the thing is her folks wanted her with this other loser who was more established with money and all. But the heart wants what it wants. So, I get how you guys are feeling. But again, you're _way_ too young to be making any decisions on this. So, unfortunately, parents gotta decide. It is what it is. Alright, let's go now. Start saying your prayers, kids," He grinned teasingly at them.

"Ignore him," Amy muttered consolingly to Maya as she observed the young girl looking extremely worried after Alan's comment.

They all got up and headed off to Cory and Shawn's room with Amy and Alan leading the way. Josh held on to Maya's hand and gave it a comforting squeeze as they approached their destination. He was clearly aware that this was a pivotal moment for their relationship, and as hopeless as the situation looked, he wanted her to know that he would always be there for her.

They had arrived, and Alan was just about to knock on the door when he suddenly let out a soft moan and collapsed onto the floor with a loud _thump_ sound.

"OH MY GOD, _ALAN_!" Amy screamed.

"DAD!" Josh yelled out in panic as he rushed towards his father and quickly checked his pulse.

"What the hell is going on?! _Oh my God_! DAD!" Cory yelled as he, Shawn, Eric, Topanga and Katy came out of the room and rushed towards Alan. Josh's heart was racing as he desperately tried to find his father's pulse. For a frightening moment, he felt his entire world and everything he had ever known come crashing down.


	26. Chapter 26

" _Dad, I can't do it! I keep missing the stupid ball!" Six-year-old Joshua Matthews cried out in frustration as he dropped his baseball bat onto the grass and stomped his feet angrily. "This sucks, Daddy!" He yelled out. He was almost at the point of tears._

_It was the summer of 2004. Josh was going to baseball camp in a week and in order to prepare him, his dad had started practicing with him every day. So far, Alan had helped his son sharpen his catching and throwing skills. But his batting skills still needed a lot of work. Josh was still finding it difficult to keep his eye on the ball long enough to swing his bat at it. There were times when he was afraid the ball might hit him so that fear also prevented him from making a successful swing. Josh's biggest fear was that he would never master these skills and the kids at camp would tease him for the entire month._

_Alan grinned widely in amusement as he watched his youngest son throw his bat away and slump down on the grass. He sat down next to him and playfully ruffled his dark brown hair. "You know something, Son? You gotta be patient with yourself. It takes time and a lot of practice to be good at certain things," He told him softly._

" _But I suck at hitting, Daddy! And I'm going to camp in a week! They're ALL gonna laugh at me!" Josh cried out with a frustrated sigh._

_Alan chuckled. "First of all, how do you know any of the boys in camp are gonna already be good at baseball? The point of going to camp is to learn how to play, Josh. So, you don't have to worry about anyone laughing at you."_

" _We've been practicing everyday Dad and I still suck. I give up!" Josh stated emphatically as he crossed his arms in frustration._

" _See, that I'll never allow you to do," Alan responded as he gave his son a serious look. "I'm not gonna allow you to beat yourself up every time you're not perfect at something because believe me, you can NEVER be perfect, but you can ALWAYS do your best and NEVER give up. That's all I ever expect of you, Son. Do the best that you can, don't drive yourself crazy if it aint perfect cos it's not gonna be, and don't give up! We're going to try more hitting tomorrow. Just cos you can't figure it out now, doesn't mean you won't figure it out later. Ok, Son? I was shaky too when I first started playing ball. But eventually I got the hang of it. And so will you! Trust me, kiddo," He kissed the top of his son's head affectionately._

" _Nope. I give up. I can't do it anymore. You can't MAKE me, Daddy," Josh muttered stubbornly as he shook his head vigorously at his father. Alan burst out laughing before he thought of a plan._

" _How about this? If you DON'T give up, and you keep practicing your hitting with me everyday, I'll let you eat as much ice cream as you want EVERY DAY until camp. ALSO, after camp, you will be able to go to New York and spend some time with Cory and Topanga and Riley for a WHOLE month! Now how does THAT sound?"_

_Josh's eyes were bulging. He LOVED ice cream! And he LOVED his brother Cory, his sister-in-law, Topanga and his three-year-old niece, Riley, who was absolutely adorable and would follow him around calling him, "Uncle Jaw," every time she saw him._

" _WOW, really Dad?! That would be AWESOME!" He cried out excitedly._

" _Well, look at that! Thought you might like the idea!" Alan grinned at him. "So, you're not giving up hitting anymore?"_

" _Nope!" Josh stood up enthusiastically and grabbed his bat. "Let's keep practicing Dad! Watch, I'm gonna hit the balls now!" He told his dad confidently._

" _That's the spirit! Alright- let's do this, Son!" Alan gave him a boisterous high-five clap._

_Right after that, Josh finally hit a few balls after his first couple misses. By the end of that practice session, he felt so proud of himself and so did his father._

* * *

" _Josh? Josh?_ " He turned around at the sound of her voice. Maya was gazing at him with tears in her eyes. Josh had been pacing non-stop since the family sat down in the hospital waiting room and anxiously awaited news from the doctor about Alan's condition.

When Josh had been unable to find a steady pulse, they immediately called 911, as Josh started performing cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on his father. Cory jumped in to help when Josh started getting tired until the paramedics arrived with an ambulance. Alan's unconscious body was quickly lifted onto the back of the ambulance with Amy sitting by her husband's side, as well Josh, Cory, Eric and Morgan. Shawn immediately volunteered to drive Maya, Riley, Katy, Topanga and Auggie in a separate car to the hospital since they all wouldn't fit in the ambulance.

The ten-minute drive to the hospital was the most surreal ride that Josh had ever experienced. As he quietly gazed at his father who was breathing with the aid of the oxygen machine but was otherwise showing no signs of consciousness, he couldn't help but feel like he was in a dream- or rather, a nightmare, that he expected to wake up from any second. His thoughts were inundated with memories of his father- all happy ones...all of which showcased his familiar, teasing grin and his loving presence which had always brought Josh so much comfort. He couldn't imagine  _not_ having his father's loving, commanding presence in his life anymore. He couldn't  _believe_ that this was happening. Just a half hour ago, he was cracking silly jokes and trying to fix his son's complicated relationship drama. So how the  _hell_ could this be happening  _now?_

 _God, please...please..._ Josh found himself praying desperately as he listened to his mother's quiet sobs and his sister, Morgan's soothing voice which kept mumbling in their mother's ear like a broken record: _"Don't cry, Mom. Dad will be ok."_

Once they arrived at the hospital, everything happened quickly. His father was transported on the stretcher by the paramedics and transferred to a couple doctors, who quickly wheeled him away into an examination room after listening to the paramedics' summary of Alan's medical condition:  _"62 year old, Caucasian male with sudden syncope; family reports a soft moan before abrupt loss of consciousness; lacking a steady pulse; currently, no visible signs of consciousness."_

Josh started pacing once his family was directed to the waiting room by the nurses and asked to wait while the doctors assessed Alan's condition. There was no way he could sit still and listen to his mother's soft cries and moans.  _It was all too painful_. So, he separated himself from the rest of his family and found himself enough space nearby to pace around while allowing his mind to dwell on numerous happy memories of his father.

He had no idea how much time had passed. It could have just been a minute or maybe an hour when he heard her call his name. As he gazed into her tear-filled eyes, he was immediately reminded of his mother's watery, blue eyes. He had to look away.  _It was all too incredibly painful._

"Josh, are you ok?" Maya asked him concernedly.  _Wow, what a question,_ he thought.  _Was he ok?_  He didn't have a clue. His entire  _well-being_  and state of  _"okayness"_  currently depended on whatever the hell was happening in that mysterious examination room. Until he knew the outcome of his father's health, he had absolutely  _no idea_ how to answer that question. But he didn't blame her for asking it. There was simply no other question to ask in a situation like that. She was clearly trying to help, and he appreciated the effort.

"I dunno," He muttered as he kept on pacing and avoiding eye-contact with her sad, piercing gaze.  _It was all too terribly painful._

"I'm sorry, Josh," Maya muttered in a shaky, teary voice as she moved closer to him. Josh kept pacing and fixed his gaze on the white, polished hospital floor. "It's going to be ok," She murmured soothingly.

"Now,  _how the hell do you know that_ , Maya?" Josh retorted in a pained, bitter tone as he finally met her gaze. "Morgan keeps saying that too. Repeating it over and over like that's just gonna fix everything. How the hell do any of us  _know_  that this is  _all_ gonna be ok? I mean, he was ok one second and then he just collapsed and is showing no visible signs of consciousness.  _So how the hell do we know what's gonna happen?_  Perhaps it's best not to keep saying that it's  _all_ going to be ok, you know what I mean? Just a thought," He concluded with a long, frustrated sigh as he brushed his hand through his hair.

Maya stared at him with a shocked look on her face. She had  _not_ expected such a harsh, bitter reaction from him to what she had thought were merely encouraging, comforting words that were usually said at difficult moments such as these. He sounded  _angry_ and she was at a loss as to what to say next.

"I'm sorry, Josh...I didn't mean…" Her voice trailed off as she felt herself panicking and getting tongue-tied. "I- I was just trying to help. You know, to stay positive...you always tell me to  _think_ positive when I'm feeling down. Remember?"

He nodded. "Yeah, I do. But there's a huge difference between you feeling down and  _whatever the fuck_  is happening to my dad right now, Maya," He told her sharply.

 _Dude! That's harsh. She's just trying to help. What the hell is wrong with you?!_ He heard a soft voice in his conscience scolding him. As he gazed into the pained, teary look in her eyes, he felt himself flooded with immense guilt. "I- uh - I'm sorry, Maya," He muttered, avoiding her gaze. "I need to be alone now. I just- I need some space. Just tell them I'll be right back." He gestured to the rest of his family before walking away from her. He needed some fresh air. He needed some distance. _It was all so unbelievably painful._ And he needed to be  _anywhere_ else but there.

* * *

He was standing outside the hospital, the warm breeze of the Friday summer evening caressing his face and his guilt and discomfort multiplying by the second. No matter what he did, he couldn't un-see the hurt and pain that had filled his girlfriend's eyes at the cold treatment he had given her. He knew he needed to go back and apologize  _properly._ It was only until then that he would feel some peace. But he couldn't. Because going back also meant confronting his father's situation. He sighed as he looked up at the clear, serene, cloudless night sky.

 _Please...please...God, let this all be ok. Please..._ He felt the tears that he had been holding at bay thus far assemble slowly in his eyes. He felt his phone vibrating. It was Cory calling him.

"Hello?" He answered in a shaky voice.

"Josh, where are you? Dad's awake. You need to come."

"Wait,  _seriously?_ He's awake? He's...fine?" He asked.

"Yeah, he's  _fine!_ " Cory said with an excited chuckle. "Apparently, he was just extremely dehydrated and hungry, according to the doctors. You know, he had worked outside all day and he hadn't really eaten much. The doctors do want him to stay overnight though so they can monitor him and do some more tests to rule out any other serious causes. But they say that he should be fine. Anyway, the whole family is with him now. So, come!He already asked for you!"

Josh grinned widely. Someway, somehow, God answered his prayers almost immediately. He felt a jolt of excitement coursing through him. It was like an immense burden had been lifted and he could feel himself  _breathing_ again.

"Thank you, God! I owe you one.  _Seriously._ That was fast!" He grinned at the night sky and gave God a thumbs-up before bolting towards his father's room.

* * *

" _Dad_!" Josh yelled out excitedly as he barged into the room.

" _Joshua!"_ Alan Matthews yelled out his son's name with a wide grin as he spread out his arms for an embrace. One arm was attached to an intravenous (IV) fluid bag which was providing his dehydrated body with essential fluids and nutrients so he couldn't lift his arm very high. "Where the heck were you Son? Catching a smoke while your Pops was making his way back from the underworld?" He teased him.

Josh laughed as he quickly made his way towards his father, sat down next to him on the bed and embraced him tightly. Tears filled his eyes as he inhaled his father's familiar scent. He was  _so grateful_ that he was fine. He couldn't  _imagine_ what he would have done if things had turned out differently.

"You're  _squeezing_  the air out of me, boy. I think that's enough for now, dontcha think?" Alan muttered as he gently pulled his son away from him so that he could breathe again.

"Yeah Joshie, give him some space so he can stay alive!" Eric joked as the rest of the family laughed.

Josh smiled widely as he stared at his father. For the most part he looked normal except for the slightly pale skin and the hospital gown he was wearing.

"You scared us, Dad," Josh murmured.

"I know. I know. Sorry about that. It  _is_ all your fault though," Alan responded with a teasing grin as he grabbed a slice of pizza from the large pizza box on the table next to his bed.

"If it wasn't for your crazy relationship drama, I would have probably gotten my dinner and I wouldn't be spending the night at the hospital of all places. So,  _thanks_  Son," He told Josh sarcastically. "On the bright side, this pizza's  _really_ good. Grab a slice! You must be starving!"

"It's  _so_  yummy, Grandpa!" Auggie yelled out as he munched on his second slice. He was sitting on his Grandma, Amy's lap who was seated on the only other chair in the room right next to her husband.

"I  _know_  right, Augs?" Alan grinned excitedly at his Grandson before drinking his bottle of water.

Josh smiled affectionately at the pair before quickly glancing around the room.  _She_  was the only one missing, he immediately realized as he felt an uncomfortable sensation in the pit of his stomach.

"Where's Maya?" He couldn't help but ask.

"She just went to the bathroom, right before you came," Riley answered as she gave Josh a questioning look. Josh locked eye-contact with her and immediately sensed that she  _knew_ something was wrong.

"Everything ok, Baby Matthews? You look worried," Shawn asked him.

"No, I'm good," He muttered quickly as he gave Shawn a wide, fake smile so as not to arouse his suspicions. "Um, as a matter of fact, I gotta use the bathroom now. I'll be right back, Dad," He turned towards his father.

"Sure, go ahead. Release all that tension, Son," Alan grinned teasingly at him. "When you  _do_ come back though, and Maya does as well, I want us to finish the conversation we were having. Shawn- I want us to put an end to this drama  _tonight_. _God knows_  the rest of this weekend needs to be drama-free."

"I know, Alan," Shawn nodded respectfully. "I agree with you. We'll settle it all tonight pretty quickly."

"Ok. I'm happy to hear that," Alan told him.

"I'll go with you Uncle Josh," Riley announced. "I need to use the bathroom too."

Josh gave her a curious look but nodded with a small smile as they both left the room. Once they had walked far enough that none of their family members could hear or see them, Riley immediately turned to Josh.

"She was  _really_ upset, Uncle Josh," She told him. "She was  _crying_ a lot, right after she spoke to you earlier. And I  _don't think_ it was just because of Grandpa. I  _knew_ something else was wrong. And then  _as soon as_  Dad called you and asked you to come, she told me she had to use the bathroom with this  _panicked_ look in her eyes. It's been ten minutes now. So, I'm gonna go check on her but you've gotta tell me what's going on Josh. Because,  _clearly,_ you lied about needing to use the bathroom right after I told you about Maya. It was pretty obvious," Riley frowned at him.

Riley had a strong dislike of lies- even the small, "white" lies that people usually told in order to protect their loved ones' feelings. She always  _hated_ lying to those she loved and cared about, and after the "love" triangle fiasco between her, Maya and Lucas a year ago, she vowed to  _always_ be honest with her friends  _no matter_  how difficult the truth might be to hear. But what she  _hated_  the most was when her best friend was clearly hurting and was  _not_ being honest with her about it. That had started happening since Maya and Josh started getting close. It took Riley a while to start noticing that Maya would  _only_ tell her about the good things that were happening in her relationship with Josh or the general struggles that they were experiencing such as Shawn's current disapproval of their relationship, but  _wasn't_ completely being open or honest about serious worries or concerns she had about her relationship. It particularly bothered her that Maya seemed to be a little more open with Zay. She had noticed Maya and Zay growing closer in the past year, and although she tried not to make a big deal about it in her head, she couldn't help but feel hurt that for the first time in her extremely close relationship with her best friend, Maya was confiding in Zay with certain information that she  _wasn't_ sharing with Riley. This was starting to get on Riley's nerves and tonight was the final straw. She was  _tired_  of seeing Maya hurt, obviously because of whatever the heck happened between her and her uncle, and yet  _not_ wanting to be honest and straightforward with Riley about what was wrong. She  _wasn't_ a sensitive  _child_ who constantly needed to be coddled and protected. It was about time  _all_ her friends-  _especially,_ Maya- her best friend and "sister"- stopped treating her that way. The  _Riley Protection Committee_ needed to shut down for good.

"I'm sorry, Riles," Josh murmured as he looked down in shame.

"Not sure what you're apologizing for, Uncle Josh, or if  _I'm_ the one you should be apologizing to. I just want to know  _the truth._ I don't need to know  _every detail_ cos you guys deserve your privacy- I get that. But, it would be nice to know  _something._ The thing is, when something like this happens, she doesn't tell me  _anything._ And it's starting to get  _really frustrating_. So, if you can tell me something  _now,_ that'd be great. I'll return the favor by finding her for you so you guys can talk- which I assume is the reason why you came up with an excuse to leave the room all of sudden," Riley pointed out.

Josh nodded and sighed softly. "Smart girl," He murmured before taking in a deep breath and telling her everything that happened between him and Maya before Alan regained consciousness.

"Excuse my French, Uncle Josh, but you were an  _asshole_ ," Riley told him frankly with an immensely displeased look on her face. Josh couldn't help but gaze at her in shock when he heard that. He  _never_ thought he'd hear those words  _ever_ leave his extremely innocent niece's mouth. But then again, if anyone had treated Maya the way  _he_ had that night, he'd be doing  _a lot more_ than insulting the person with profane language. He  _knew_ he had messed up  _very badly_  and probably deserved a major beating. He  _definitely_ didn't deserve Maya's forgiveness. But he was going to apologize like his life depended on it, beg for her forgiveness and hope for the best. That was all he could do.

" _Ugh,_ Uncle Josh,  _seriously,_ that was a  _really_ jerky thing you did," Riley berated him in a frustrated tone. "I get you were worried about Grandpa, but she was  _just_ trying to be there for you because that's what a girlfriend does for her boyfriend. So why the hell would you treat her that way? Do you have any idea how  _sensitive_ she is? She is probably hiding in a stall in the bathroom right now quietly crying all her tears out cos she thinks you  _hate_ her or something."

For the first time that night, Josh suddenly realized and  _felt_ the magnitude of the harm that he had caused Maya with his callous attitude towards her. He knew he had hurt her with his actions, but it had never occurred to him that she would somehow think that he  _hated_ her and would completely break down emotionally because of  _how much_ she cared about him and his feelings.

" _Shit,_ Riles," He muttered as he felt himself panicking. He had  _really_ screwed up. It was now dawning on him that this current conflict between him and Maya couldn't be solved with a simple apology. "What the  _hell_ am I going to do?" He asked his niece in a helpless and desperate tone.

"I dunno _,_ " Riley muttered as she shook her head at him. "Well, first of, try not to be an  _insensitive_ _asshole_  next time when your girlfriend is doing her best to  _support_ you. And second of, I dunno, you're gonna have to just keep apologizing and give her some time until she forgives you, Uncle Josh. I know if Lucas did this to me, it'd take a while until I forgave him. Cos it would  _really_ hurt me. And I'll need to know that he is  _really_ sorry and that he won't do it again. Somehow, you're gonna have to convince her of that. Otherwise, the rest of this weekend is gonna  _suck_ for you. And unfortunately, it would suck for me too since I have to deal with you two," Riley sighed.

"Riles, what's going on?" Maya asked as she approached them from the other side of the hallway. Josh and Riley both glanced at her in surprise. Josh immediately noticed that her beautiful blue eyes were completely puffy and red. She was also holding a small piece of tissue paper which she used to wipe her watery nose before shoving it into her small handbag.

"Is everything ok with Mr. Matthews?" She asked Riley. Josh tried to make eye-contact with her, but she completely ignored him.

"He's ok, Peaches," Riley informed her with a warm smile. "He's still talking and seems to be in a good mood, so that's good for now. Josh and I were just wondering where you were. You were taking so long."

"Oh," Maya muttered, while still avoiding eye-contact with Josh. "I'm ok," She simply stated.

Riley sighed. "Josh told me everything, Maya," She said as she gave her best friend a worried look. "You don't have to keep pretending to  _me_ that everything is fine. I'm  _here_ for you, ok? That's what sisters are for. You don't have to keep these things from me anymore.  _Please_ don't do that anymore _,"_ She smiled warmly at her.

"I'm sorry, Riles," Maya murmured as she smiled warmly back at her friend.

"It's ok, Peaches," Riley muttered affectionately as she immediately approached her friend and embraced her. Maya buried her face in Riley's shoulder and sobbed for a few more seconds before she finally calmed down. While she quietly sobbed, Riley rubbed Maya's back soothingly and kissed her head affectionately as she murmured comforting words to her friend. Josh stood by silently and watched the intimate scene- his heart breaking for Maya and feeling ever more like an intruder and a stranger with each passing second. If anyone was to ask him to describe precisely how he was feeling in that moment, he would have simply said he felt like  _"absolute and complete crap and shit."_ Those would be the most astute and sophisticated adjectives that would come to his mind.

"Thanks, Riles," Maya stated with a wide smile after the two girls broke off their embrace. "You welcome, Peaches. I wuv you  _verrry much,_ " Riley said in a childlike tone as she playfully pinched Maya's cheeks.

Maya giggled. "I love you too, Honey," She responded affectionately.

"Yay!" Riley exclaimed with her characteristic, wide, bright smile which always reminded Maya of the sunshine and filled her with instant happiness.

"Ok, Peaches. See, here's the thing," Riley said in a slightly playful tone. "I just spoke with my uncle. You might have heard of him. His name's Josh. He's a nice guy and all, but sometimes he can act  _really dumb._ Anyway, he  _really_ messed up and hurt you a lot, and he would  _really_ like to apologize and see if he can make up for the stupid thing he said. So, if you don't mind talking to him- he will  _really_ appreciate the opportunity. Wadja think, Peaches?"

" _No-pe_. I'm good. I don't wanna talk to him," Maya stated emphatically with a serious expression on her face.

"Are you  _sure,_ Peaches?" Riley asked in a worried tone. "Cos he feels  _really really_ bad."

"Ok," Maya nodded, shrugging. "Good for him. I still don't wanna talk to him though. Let's go back into the room. They're all probably wondering where we are."

"Uh...ok. If you insist, Peaches," Riley responded as she turned around and gave Josh a sad look.

"I  _do_ insist! Let's go,  _chica_!" Maya stated enthusiastically as she grabbed her friend's hand and strutted confidently past Josh towards Alan's room without a single glance in Josh's direction.

As Josh stood there, completely dumbfounded, and watched his niece and his girlfriend walk away, he would have happily traded his life with an ant if given the opportunity. At least then he wouldn't be a selfish "asshole" who was now almost in danger of losing his girlfriend. He was  _absolutely thrilled_ that his father was seemingly doing well. But it was all beginning to feel like a hollow victory. With a long sigh, he slowly and reluctantly walked back into the room.


	27. Chapter 27

_Friday, July 01, 2016_

_11:15pm_

_Cedar Heights, Philadelphia_

_My dearest Lil Ferret,_

_Hi. Yes, I know that I am a/an _ (fill in the blank). I screwed up and I hurt you really badly with my careless words at a moment when I should have been "manly" enough to let your caring, beautiful heart (and words) support me and see me through all the darkness and uncertainty which surrounded me. You were the angel sent by God to calm my fears tonight- but whom I failed to see. What happened tonight forced me to face one of my deepest fears (the sudden loss of someone I love). It truly unraveled me and for a moment, I wasn't myself. I'm not saying this to excuse - in any way- the terrible way in which I treated you. There is no excuse for my idiotic actions. But I am saying this to show you that tonight's events taught me to appreciate (even more) those that I love and care about. I shouldn't have pushed you away. I shouldn't have hurt you with my words. You didn't deserve it. And I don't deserve you. But if you give me a chance, I'll do everything in my power never to hurt you again in this way. I'm truly sorry for my actions. And although I don't deserve to be forgiven, I'm begging you to please forgive me and to give me another chance this weekend to prove to you just how much I care about you. Thank you for reading this and for kindly considering my request._

_Sweet dreams, Lil Ferret._

_Yours Forever (if you'll have me again),_

_Boing_

_**ps** _ _\- Sorry, I know this hand-written letter is super formal and maybe a little cheesy lol. But hopefully, romantic enough? Please forgive me! I'm an idiot. And I'm sorry! :(_

_**pps** _ _\- I've included a drawing. It's terrible but I'm a desperate man (and I also thought this would go well with your "Boing art blackmail collection"! I KNOW you still have those drawings you made me do on my bday :D)_

_**ppps** _ _\- I'm SO HAPPY Shawn didn't break us up! (YAYY). I'll take having a door open whenever we're in a room alone together, a monthly check-in with Shawny, and more "PG-rated" kisses if it means I still get to be with you :) So once again, I'm sorry. Pretty pleaaase forgive me - so we can celebrate being together! Xoxo. Did I mention I'm an idiot?! Cos I am!_

* * *

**Saturday, July 02, 2016, 2:11am**

**Boing, return this back to me after reading my edits & notes below**

_Friday, July 01, 2016_

_11:15pm_

_Cedar Heights, Philadelphia_

_My dearest Lil Ferret,_

_Hi. Yes, I know that I am a/an_ _**Doodoo Head!** _ _(fill in the blank). I screwed up and I hurt you really badly with my careless words at a moment when I should have been man enough to let your caring, beautiful heart (and words) support me and see me through all the darkness and uncertainty which surrounded me. You were the angel sent by God to calm my fears tonight- but whom I failed to see. What happened tonight forced me to face one of my deepest fears (the sudden loss of someone I love). It truly unraveled me and for a moment, I wasn't myself. I'm not saying this to excuse - in any way- the terrible way in which I treated you. There is no excuse for my idiotic actions. But I am saying this to show you that tonight's events taught me to appreciate (even more) those that I love and care about. I shouldn't have pushed you away. I shouldn't have hurt you with my words. You didn't deserve it. And I don't deserve you. But if you give me a chance, I'll do everything in my power never to hurt you again in this way. I'm truly sorry for my actions. And although I don't deserve to be forgiven, I'm begging you to please forgive me and to give me another chance this weekend to prove to you just how much I care about you._ _**Thank you for reading this and for kindly considering my request.** _

_Sweet dreams, Lil Ferret._

_Yours Forever (if you'll have me again),_

_Boing_

_**ps** _ _\- Sorry, I know this hand-written letter is super formal and maybe a little cheesy lol. But hopefully, romantic enough? Please forgive me!_ _**I'm an idiot.** _ _And I'm sorry! :(_

_**pps** _ _\- I've included a drawing._ _**It's terrible** _ _but I'm a desperate man (and I also thought this would go well with your "Boing art blackmail collection"?_ _**I** _ _**KNOW you still have those drawings you made me do on my bday** _ _:D)_

_**ppps** _ _\- I'm SO HAPPY Shawn didn't break us up! (YAYY). I'll take having a door open whenever we're in a room alone together, a monthly check-in with Shawny, and more "PG-rated" kisses if it means I still get to be with you :) So once again, I'm sorry. Pretty pleaaase forgive me - so we can celebrate being together!_ _**Did I mention I'm an idiot?! Cos I am!** _

_**\- Your request for forgiveness is being processed; Expect a response in 3-5 business days (sorry for delay; holiday hours)** _

_**\- Yes, you ARE an idiot (and a Doodoo head!)** _

_**\- Yes, your drawing is terrible. You drew me all wrong. I don't look like that. Please don't attempt to draw me ever again.** _

_**\- Yes, I still have your bday drawings; Thx for adding to my collection! I'll be opening a gallery soon (in Philly) maybe this weekend so I can show your art! Perhaps your family can be my first customers? (muahahaha) ;)** _

* * *

Josh burst out laughing when he read the humorous edits and notes she had written (at 2:11am!) on the apology letter he wrote her just a few hours ago. After he finished writing the letter around midnight, Josh placed it in a sealed white envelope addressed to  _"My Lil Ferret,"_  and slipped it underneath Morgan's door before going to bed.

It was around 7am - his morning run time - when he spotted the letter lying on the floor underneath his door just as he was about to exit his room. His heart beating in excitement and anticipation, he immediately picked up the envelope, took the letter out and read her responses. As he glanced over her notes with a wide smile, Josh felt increasingly hopeful and relieved. It was clear to him that she had forgiven him (or at least was  _close_  to forgiving him). There is no way she would have responded so quickly if she hadn't.

Before returning the letter back to her as she requested in her notes, Josh grabbed his fountain pen and scribbled one last note at the bottom of the letter:  _ **Morning, Gorgeous :)Thanks for agreeing to process my request! I really appreciate the quick response :) I know it's holiday hours now but would it be possible to get express service? I'm willing to pay whatever is needed to speed up this process so we can have some fun this weekend! Muchas gracias :)**_

He  _really_  hoped she had been joking about him expecting a response in "three to five business days," and that she wouldn't drag out the forgiveness process any longer. After all, they only had a couple more days left to spend some time together before she would be leaving with her parents back to New York. Earlier in the week, she had mentioned to Josh that Shawn was planning to take her and Katy on an intimate summer family vacation in the Poconos where Shawn also had a work travel assignment. So, for the following week, she would be in the Poconos with her parents, while Josh would begin his first week of his month-long stay in Philly.

After he finished writing his note, he placed the letter along with two photographs, inside the envelope. The first photograph was a group picture of him, Maya and Riley at Cory and Topanga's home on Christmas day two years ago. That Christmas, in 2014, was his first meeting with Maya after several years of separation. It was also the first time he called her "gorgeous." Needless to say, their attraction to each other could definitely be traced back to that fateful Christmas day re-encounter in New York City. The second photograph was a group picture of everyone who had been present for that year's Christmas reunion. He had shown Maya a larger version of this picture before. His parents were in it, along with Cory, Topanga, Riley, Auggie, Shawn and Maya. That Christmas was also the first time Maya met Shawn and started bonding with him. Josh knew Maya would appreciate the fond memories and emotional significance of the two photographs which is why he was now giving them to her.

_This is going to be a great day!_ He thought excitedly as he gave his nephew- who was peacefully sleeping and had taken up almost all the space on his bed- a fond kiss on the cheek before exiting his room. On his way past Morgan's room, he slipped the letter back underneath the door so that Maya could see it when she woke up. He then exited the house, and breathed in the fresh, suburban Saturday morning air while glancing around fondly at the neighborhood where he had spent seventeen years of his life. All the houses still looked the same- along with the pristine green lawns and the white, picket fences.  _The American dream_... _Happy Birthday America!_  He thought with an amused grin.

He sometimes wondered whether he would come back to Cedar Heights one day and settle down- perhaps after a few years of training in the city as a Physician. He loved New York City. It was certainly a  _much more_ exciting place to live. But he had always had a fondness for the peace and intimacy that characterized the small town, suburban lifestyle at Cedar Heights. He had many pleasant childhood memories of visiting his neighbors who all knew him-  _especially,_ Mr. Feeny, who truly became his adopted "Grandpa" - and playing with the neighborhood kids who all became his friends (except the girls of course due to his extreme fear of "cooties"). Since he didn't have any siblings his own age to play with as a young child, it benefited him emotionally and socially that he was able to play and interact with the kids in his neighborhood. There was a part of him that wanted his future kids to also have that quieter, more intimate experience. But, more importantly, he wanted to be closer to his parents. After his dad's frightening medical emergency the night before, he now felt even more compelled to spend more time with his aging parents and to be physically close to them as much as possible. Perhaps, one day, once he completed his education in New York City, he could move back to Philly and do just that.

Placing his earphones in his ears, he started blasting his running song for the day,  _Hymn for the Weekend_ by Coldplay, before shooting off through the vibrant summer rays of the exuberant morning sun:

_Oh, angel sent from up above_

_You know you make my world light up_

_When I was down, when I was hurt_

_You came to lift me up_

_Life is a drink and love's a drug_

_Oh, now I think I must be miles up_

_When I was a river dried up_

_You came to rain a flood_

_Oh, angel sent from up above_

_I feel it coursing through my blood_

_Life is a drink, your love's about_

_To make the stars come out._

_Ah-oh-ah-oh-ah_

_Got me feeling drunk and high_

_So high, so high_

_Ah-oh-ah-oh-ah_

_Now I'm feeling drunk and high_

_So high, so high..._

_That we shoot across the sky_

_That we shoot across the_

_That we shoot across the sky_

_That we shoot across the_

_That we shoot across the sky_


	28. Chapter 28

Maya was lost in her dreams as she unconsciously buried her face in Riley's hair in the act of changing her sleeping position. As usual, her dreams were a hazy fog filled with various aspects of her experiences throughout the day. She saw Alan Matthews' hospital room and her parents, she and Josh gathered around the Matthews family patriarch. Mostly everyone's face was blurry except for  _his. His_  face was forever etched vividly in her mind and in her dreams…

" _So Shawn, the kids are here. Let's get to the bottom of this. What have you and Katy decided?" She heard Alan's calm voice echoing in her dream._

_"Well at this point, Katy and I have decided that there's no point going back and forth over the same issue. I'm definitely not happy that Baby Matthews jumped the gun without consulting us."_

_"Yes, I spoke to him about that. He admitted he made a mistake and he won't be doing it ever again," Alan retorted._

_"He admitted that to me too," Shawn responded. "Obviously, what's done is done. We don't think telling them that they can't be boyfriend and girlfriend is the most constructive way to go at this point. After all, those are just titles. What matters is what they DO as boyfriend and girlfriend. So, on that note, you guys have our permission to keep calling yourselves that if you follow our expectations and rules going forward. Baby Matthews, you already know the conditions I gave you earlier. Those are still in effect and I expect you to continue following them as you already told me you would do. You can now add these conditions to that list. Considering what happened in your room earlier tonight, you can no longer have Maya in a room ALONE without the door wide open so if I just so happen to pass by, I can see what the heck is going on. And in case you ever think to yourself one day that there's NO way Shawn's gonna show up cos he's traveling and working in a different state, well guess what? I have SPIES everywhere, Baby Matthews. So, consider yourself warned."_

_Katy rolled her eyes at her husband. "Let's move on to condition number two, Shawn. Alan's tired and needs his rest. Try not to get carried away."_

_Alan and Amy burst out laughing. "I'm ok, Katy. Don't worry about me. Let Shawn say what he needs to say," Alan responded._

" _Thank you Alan!" Shawn retorted. "They just don't understand what it's like to be a father. The SUFFERING we go through-"_

" _Move on, Shawn," Katy immediately cut him off._

" _Ok, gee, fine," Shawn retorted. "Condition Number two- the 'PG-rated' kisses are still in effect as well as the absolutely NO 'hanky-panky' rule. You break these rules, I'll know because I'll see the guilt written all over your baby face, Baby Matthews, and then you'll be DEAD. Forgive me, Alan."_

" _No worries. I'm getting too old for this crap. He can take care of himself," Alan responded and smiled teasingly at his son as Josh gave him a terrified look._

" _Condition number three- you will be meeting with us MONTHLY, Baby Matthews, to update us on how things are going and also to confess your sins. I can't force Maya to talk to me every month but I can force YOU. So you better make space in your busy schedule for a monthly date with Uncle Shawn. Understood?"_

_Josh nodded solemnly._

" _Excelente! That's all we got, Alan. Hopefully, if your son works with us on this, everything should be fine," Shawn concluded._

" _Alright, that sounds great," Alan responded with a fond smile. "I'm proud of you, Son. You've come a long way," He told Shawn._

_Shawn grinned widely at that comment. "Thanks, Alan. Means a lot to hear you say that."_

" _But you do need to be more patient. Try to work on that a bit," Alan advised him. "Otherwise, you're gonna be sending yourself to an early grave- especially since you're dealing with teenagers. I spoke to Josh. He's going to do right by Maya. He understands the restrictions that he is facing with the age difference. So try not to worry too much, ok?"_

_Shawn nodded. "Yes, Sir," He muttered meekly._

" _And if you touch my son, Shawn, I'll be the one sending you to an early grave. Just thought you should know," Amy informed him in a playful tone._

_Katy and Alan burst out laughing at that comment as Shawn blushed in embarrassment. Maya had been avoiding eye-contact with Josh the whole time but she couldn't help sneaking a look at him to see his reaction to his mother's humorous comment. She saw Josh grinning widely and gazing adoringly at his Mom. Maya couldn't help smiling when she saw that._

" _Alright, folks. We'll see you tomorrow for the barbecue. Now get out of my room so my wife and I can rest. Maya, Josh, stay behind for a sec so I can talk to you," Alan ordered._

_Maya watched her parents quickly exit the room and shut the door. She sensed Josh's eyes on her as he kept a safe distance from her. She fixed her gaze on Alan and waited for him to speak._

" _Now, I want you guys to know one thing about relationships," He told them. "There is a time for everything. There is a time to break the rules, and then there is a time to follow the rules. If the rules don't make sense, you can break 'em. But if they do make sense, because you know they're coming from a loving place and loving parents who only have your best interests at heart and are doing everything they can to protect you- you do your best to follow them. Now, I get that there will be slip-ups here and there. You guys won't be perfect. But, you do your best- that's all that Shawn and Katy are looking for. They want to know that you respect them and will take these rules seriously. Am I making myself clear?"_

_Josh and Maya both nodded._

" _They could have broken you guys up tonight. And guess what? That would have also made sense- because they're the ones in charge right now. It's as simple as that. But they didn't! And that says a lot about their intentions towards you. So I want you guys to show them how grateful you are for their understanding and support by following their rules to the best of your ability until the right time comes - and it's not gonna be any time in the next year or two if you're catching my drift- when it will make sense to break 'em. Ya get it?"_

_They both nodded again._

" _Ok great," Alan responded. "By the way, you guys doing ok? That is a huge distance between you two. Very different from all the lovey-dovey closeness when we were talking to you earlier back in the house. You seeing what I'm seeing, Amy? What are they, scared of each other now or something?" He asked his wife teasingly with an amused grin._

" _Yeah, something's off. Everything ok, guys?" Amy asked them in a concerned tone._

_Maya gulped nervously as she glanced shyly at Josh for a second before turning her attention back to Amy and Alan. "Um, yeah, we're good," She answered after an awkward pause when she noticed Josh wasn't going to respond. "It's just been a long day."_

" _Tell me about it," Amy muttered with a weary smile. "Alright you guys can go now and rest. We'll see you tomorrow, ok?"_

" _Ok, goodnight Mr...I mean, Alan and Amy," Maya said shyly as she quickly walked past Josh and exited the room. Josh stayed behind to give his parents a final hug._

" _Everything ok, Baby Girl?" Katy asked her daughter as she walked towards them. Maya nodded. "Yep, he just wanted to give us some final advice," She told her._

" _He said anything about me?" Shawn asked her curiously._

" _Can't answer that, Dad. Sorry," Maya told him teasingly._

" _Oh come on!" Shawn protested as Katy laughed out loud._

" _Let's go, Baby Girl, and leave Mr. Nosy here to freak out," Katy told her daughter as she placed her arm lovingly around her and walked with her towards the hospital exit._

" _Fathers don't get no love! It's not fair, you know?!" Shawn yelled out to his wife and daughter as they left him to join the larger Matthews family who were all waiting outside. Yes, fathers didn't get much love or appreciation, Shawn thought. But it was the greatest feeling in the world to be one just as Cory had told him. In that moment, he couldn't be happier as he watched his wife and daughter walk ahead of him lovingly wrapped in each other's arms._

* * *

" _Lil Ferret_? Time to wake up,  _Lil Ferret._ "

Riley giggled. "Aunt Morgan, stop."

"Are you  _kidding_? What are we here for Riles if we can't tease her about this? This is  _hilarious_ but  _so cute,_ " Morgan said as she read through the letter that Josh had left for Maya underneath her door. "To be honest, I didn't know Lil Joshie had it in him. I'm proud of him. Obviously, I was living my own life by the time he probably started dating so I never got to observe his romantic side. And it's not like he would talk to  _me_ about it, you know what I'm saying?"

Riley chuckled. "Yeah, I know."

"So yeah, this is my chance to have this moment and to tease both him and Maya about it," Morgan said as she glanced at the letter again. "He  _really_ likes her. You can tell. I'm really happy for the two of them. I know he never had a lot of girlfriends. His focus was always school and sports and trying to impress  _everyone in everything_ he did. So, not a lot of time for romance if you're busy doing all of that. A good, all around, overachiever- that uncle of yours," Morgan told Riley with a teasing grin.

Riley grinned widely and glanced at Maya who was now stretching and stirring in her sleep.

"Uh-oh, she's about to wake up," Riley warned her aunt.

"Oh, awesome!  _Lil Ferret!_ Good morning!" Morgan cried out with an amused chuckle.

Maya opened her eyes at the sound of Morgan's laughter and stared in confusion at her two roommates who were sitting near her on the bed and gazing at her in immense amusement.

"What's going on?" She asked warily.

"We found my brother's letter to ya," Morgan teased her as she dangled the envelope in front of her. "And before you yell at Riley, it was  _totally_ my idea for us to open it and read it. So please yell at me instead. Riley actually told me to stop but I was too nosy. My brother should have known better than to just leave it under the door. He's not stupid. But I guess when you're in love, you do stupid stuff sometimes right?" She grinned at her.

" _Unbelievable,"_ Maya muttered in immense frustration as she covered her face with her hands in embarrassment.  _The idiot! He should have just handed it to me when he saw me during the day,_ she thought.

When Maya saw the letter lying on the floor earlier that morning at 2am on her way to use the bathroom, she was pleasantly surprised and also immensely relieved that none of the girls had seen it yet. She quickly grabbed it, left the room, found a spot in the living room and started reading.

Tears filled her eyes as she read through the letter- twice. Any anger that she still felt at the way he had treated her earlier was now completely gone. She couldn't help but realize as she read his candid words that she  _too_  had been in the wrong. She should have given him a chance to apologize in the hospital. After all, he had been hurting  _a lot more_ than she had. Maya _couldn't imagine_ what she would do (or how she would react to anyone around her) if anything like what happened to Mr. Matthews that night had happened to Shawn. She now understood the uncertainty and fear that Josh must have been feeling in the moments before Alan woke up. She understood his frustration at hearing the simple phrase that "everything will be okay," when it wasn't clear whether that would be the case. She now understood his need for some space so that he could process everything he was going through. In the moment when Riley asked her if she would talk to him, she had been angry and wanted to hurt him back so that he could also  _feel_ how he had made  _her_ feel. But now, as she saw the immense effort that he had made to seek her forgiveness and to pour his heart out to her, she felt ashamed at the way  _she_ had also treated him. He always said that he didn't deserve her. But in many ways, Maya also knew how much she didn't deserve  _him_ \- his kindness, understanding, patience, affection and honesty. She didn't give him enough credit for the strengths that he consistently showed in those traits, and it was about time that she started doing that if she truly wanted to be a supportive girlfriend.

_I'm sorry, Boing. Looks like I screwed up too, s_ he thought as she wiped her tears away and quickly grabbed a pen. She made her edits and notes on the letter and placed it back underneath his door so he could know that she had forgiven him. She resolved to talk to him later on in the day and apologize to him as well.

When she saw his drawing, she couldn't help but laugh at how terrible his art skills truly were. But his portrayal of her was endearing. She was definitely going to place it in the special box that she kept all the little gifts and items he had given her over the past few months.

What she hadn't expected though was for him to return the letter back to her by placing it underneath the door  _again. What the hell was he thinking?_ Had he forgotten that she was  _sharing_ a room with his sister and his niece?  _Of course_ one of them would end up seeing the letter, reading it and teasing the  _hell_ out of them which is  _exactly_ what was happening now.

_Ugh, Boing. I'm going to kill you! Right after I apologize and tell you I forgive you, and probably kiss you as well..._ She thought in a mixture of amusement and frustration as she laid on the bed and listened to Morgan's teasing.

" _So_ , how did he end up calling you 'Lil Ferret', Maya? It's an  _adorable_ nickname, by the way," Morgan said.

"Gimme that!" Maya hissed as she finally grabbed the envelope from her. She was blushing profusely. Riley and Morgan burst out laughing in immense amusement.

Maya quickly got up, grabbed her bag and placed the envelope securely inside it.

"I'm not answering  _any_ questions, ladies," She stated firmly as she turned around to face them. "A good morning to you two  _Nosies_. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna brush my teeth and take a shower before I find my boyfriend and  _kill him_. See you later," She said as she headed towards the door.

"Forgive him, Peaches," Riley pleaded with her best friend. "He sounds  _really sorry_."

"Yeah, that's the thing with Josh. He was  _always_  like that as a kid," Morgan pointed out with a fond smile as she recalled her memories of her brother as a child. "He would feel so bad whenever he did something wrong. He would apologize _a million times_  and wouldn't let up until you told him you forgave him. He just couldn't handle  _knowing_ that someone was mad at him. It was the  _cutest_ thing. I used to drive him  _crazy_ sometimes by telling him that I would  _never_  forgive him for something he did and I would joke that I was gonna order a new brother from  _Amazon_. He'll run to Mom immediately- cos he was totally a Momma's boy- and start crying.  _Hilarious,_ " Morgan shook her head fondly at the memory. Maya and Riley giggled as they listened to her story.

"You know, it's funny knowing that he's still like that in a lot of ways," Morgan said. "He's not gonna give up until you tell him to his face that you forgive him Maya. He clearly  _really_ likes you. Maybe even  _loves_ you from the way that letter sounded."

Maya blushed and felt her heart stop when she heard her say that. She knew how  _she_  felt about him. But after their last conversation about their feelings at  _Six Flags exactly_  a week ago when he asked her to be his girlfriend, she told herself that she wasn't going to worry too much about  _his_  feelings. It was enough for her to know that he liked her enough to make their relationship official and to boldly tell her parents about it instead of hiding it. She was no longer going to torture herself with thinking about worst-case scenarios and whether he really liked her as much as she did. It was still nice though to hear Morgan say that. She felt a lighthearted giddiness and warmth when she thought about him feeling  _that way_ about her.

"I've forgiven him," Maya told them. "It was a tough night for all of us. I'm just glad everything turned out ok."

" _Oh my God,_ yeah, me too," Morgan muttered as tears immediately started filling her eyes. "I know it's selfish guys now that I think about it, but the  _whole time_ when we were with my dad in the ambulance, all I could think about was my Wedding in December and what if he couldn't be there…" Morgan paused to wipe the tears from her eyes. Riley moved closer to her on the bed and laid her head comfortingly on her aunt's shoulder. Maya found herself tearing up as she observed the two of them and quietly thought about Morgan's statement.

"It's not selfish at all," She told Morgan in a soothing tone as she came to sit next to her and placed her arm around her. "That's the most important day in your life.  _Of course_ you'll want your dad to be there because you  _love_ him, and you will worry about that if anything happened to him. So, don't feel bad about thinking that," Maya smiled warmly at her.

Morgan nodded and smiled at the two girls. "Thanks ladies for helping me feel better," She said. "Love you guys. I'm glad I'm spending this weekend with you."

"Aww, we love you too, Aunt Morgan!" Riley beamed at her.

"You're gonna make us flower girls right?" Maya asked Morgan jokingly. "Cos Riles would  _totally_ love that."

" _Oh my gosh_ , yes! Aunt Morgan, my dream is to be a flower girl for  _any_ wedding! Please make me a flower girl!" Riley begged her.

Morgan burst out laughing. "Riles, I was gonna make you a Bridesmaid! You're too old to be a flower girl!"

"I don't care! I  _really_ want to be a flower girl! Pleaaaaase!" Riley pleaded.

Maya burst out laughing. "This is  _serious,_ Morgan. It'll be like a dream come true for her. You should really consider it."

Morgan laughed. "Hmm, ok, well. Sure, why the hell not?! You'll be one of my flower girls, Riles!"

"OH MY GOD! YAYYY!" Riley screamed in excitement as she hugged Morgan tightly. Maya laughed out loud as she watched the scene in immense amusement.

"Way to go Riles! You did it!" She told her best friend.

"I KNOW!" Riley screamed.

Right in that moment, they heard a knock on the door.

"Uh-oh, I think we're being too loud, ladies," Morgan muttered as she went to open the door.

"Hey Morgan," Josh answered his sister with a wide, affectionate smile as soon as she opened the door. He was already dressed for the day in a navy blue polo T-shirt and short, brown khaki pants.

"Well, lookie who it is!" Morgan announced teasingly to Riley and Maya.

Riley giggled as Maya gazed at her boyfriend with a wide, silly grin on her face and her heart fluttering.

"I just wanted to wish you ladies a good morning and to tell you that breakfast will be ready soon," Josh beamed at the three of them before locking eye-contact with Maya. Maya blushed profusely.

" _Boy_ , is it  _hot_  in here or what?!" Morgan cried out teasingly as she stared at Maya in immense amusement. "Riles, pinch her. She looks like she's completely frozen as she gazes into her lover's eyes."

Riley burst out laughing as Maya blushed in embarrassment and finally looked away from Josh.

"Riles- why don't we head to the bathroom now and get ready. We'll be right back in five minutes, Lil Bro. Ya better be quick!" Morgan winked playfully at Josh.

Josh rolled his eyes at his sister's teasing but smiled widely as he was grateful for the opportunity to talk to Maya privately.

"Bye, Uncle Josh," Riley muttered teasingly as she and Morgan quickly left the room.

Josh shook his head in amusement as he turned his attention back to his girlfriend.

" _Hey_ ," He greeted her softly.

" _Hi_ ," Maya responded with a wide grin.

"Can I come in?" Josh asked.

"Only if you leave the door open," Maya told him teasingly. "There's this  _hungry_ lion called Shawn Hunter that's been roaming around. Legend has it, he's been looking for White, preppy-looking boys called Joshua. Would  _hate_  for you to die so early this morning, Boing," She grinned at him.

Josh chuckled and slowly walked inside towards her.

"Stop right there!" Maya told him as she held up her hand after he had advanced a couple steps inside the room.

Josh raised his eyebrows at her curiously. "Uh, what's the matter?"

"Well, I just woke up  _duh._ My breath stinks and I need a shower so, yeah," She stated frankly.

Josh laughed. "I've seen you in the morning  _right after_ waking up, Maya. Remember  _last week_  before  _Six Flags_ when you popped up in my bed?"

Maya giggled. "Oh yeah," She admitted. "But  _still._ Don't come any further!"

"Well considering today is our one-week anniversary, I think I'm  _entitled_ to approach my girlfriend," Josh retorted as he stubbornly moved closer to her.

Maya grinned widely at his casual reference to their one-week anniversary. " _Ugh,_ ok fine. You can sit here _,_ " She patted to a spot next to her on the bed. "But that's it! No leaning in towards my face or  _anything funny_  ok?"

Josh chuckled. "Ok, fine. I still don't get how you had absolutely  _no issues_ with this  _exactly_ a week ago but I've long given up understanding the female species, so it is what it is," He shrugged as he came and sat down next to her at the spot that she had picked out for him.

"Morning, Lil Ferret," He greeted her in a playful tone as he gazed at her. Maya beamed at him.

"You know who knows that that's your nickname for me?" She asked him.

"Who, Riley? She's already known right?" Josh stated.

"No,  _Doodoo-Head_. Your  _sister_ , Morgan! And you wanna know  _how_  she found out?! Try to think about what you  _might_  have done today to give your sister that info."

"Umm," Josh thought for a couple seconds. " _Oh…shoot._ The letter!"

"Bingo!" Maya yelled out. "You  _left_ the letter under the door  _again._ And so she saw it first thing in the morning. And  _all_ you had to do was to find me  _any time_ today and give it to me instead. I dunno, Boing," She sighed as she shook her head at him. "I mean, what am I gonna do with ya? In your defense, you  _did_ admit  _several_ times that you are an _i - d - i - o - t._  Should I pronounce it for ya?" She asked him teasingly.

Josh laughed. "Nah, I'm familiar with that word," He admitted. "And  _yes,_ that word fits me perfectly. I proudly admit it," He grinned at her. "It is what it is. Boing will be Boing. Sorry, Ferret." Maya rolled her eyes at him and shook her head.

"You know she's gonna be telling err'one in the fam that you call me  _Lil Ferret,_ right?" She pointed out to him.

"Yeah, I know," Josh nodded, grinning in amusement. "Sorry, Maya. I'll try to do better next time and be a  _little_  less idiotic."

Maya raised her eyebrows at him. "I'll believe it when I see it," She told him skeptically.

Josh chuckled. "Ok. You got the pictures I included with the letter?" He asked her.

"Yeah," Maya nodded. "They were very nice. Thanks," She smiled at him.

"You welcome," Josh beamed at her. "Thought you might appreciate 'em. Hopefully, they will help speed up my forgiveness processing?" He asked.

Maya chuckled before giving him a serious look. "I forgive you, Josh. Completely. Water under the bridge," She told him softly. "And I'm also sorry for  _my_ actions. I didn't treat you very well either when you wanted to apologize and I shouldn't have done that. So, I'm sorry."

"I forgive you," Josh assured her right away. "And I also understand why you did that. I certainly deserved it and hey, it pushed me to write my first letter to a girl so there ya go," He grinned at her. "A lot of firsts for me too in this relationship, kiddo."

Maya smiled widely at him, and for a moment, found herself lost in his gaze. Before she knew it, Josh had leaned in towards her.

"I told you, my breath  _stinks_ and my father is a hungry lion," Maya warned him. Josh chuckled as he leaned in even more so that their foreheads were touching.

" _I don't care_ ," He whispered before kissing her softly for a few seconds.

"I'm glad you're not mad at me anymore," He told her after pulling back from the kiss. "Cos I got a  _lotta_  plans for us this weekend."

"Oh  _really_?" Maya asked excitedly.

"Yes, really," Josh nodded with a giddy smile.

"Well, you know me, Mr. Boing. I like me some adventure… so whatever plans you got, they better not be  _boring._ That's all I gotta say," Maya told him.

Josh grinned. "Boring is  _not_ in my vocabulary, Ms. Hunter," He retorted. "When have I ever bored ya?"

"Uh, all those tutoring sessions you  _forced_  me to do? Remember those?" Maya stated matter-of-factly.

Josh laughed. "Ok, true. But that's it, right?"

"I dunno. I mean, so far, we've only just hung out at  _Topanga's_ , sometimes the park and occasionally grabbed a few tacos. Nothing super adventurous but also not  _boring_ either. Just normal stuff. So it's hard to say," Maya stated with a shrug.

"Ok," Josh replied. "Well I'm happy to tell ya, that what I have planned this weekend is not gonna be  _any_ of those activities. So I think you'll find yourself sufficiently entertained."

Maya grinned. "Ok Boing, bring it on. Can I get a hint, though? Just a  _little?_ Cos now you got me all  _excited."_

"Hmmm," Josh thought for a few seconds before speaking. "I suppose I could give you  _one_ hint."

"Ooh, ok! What is it?" Maya asked excitedly.

"Ever rode a motorcycle, Ms. Hunter?"

"HOLY CRAP!" Maya screamed.

" _Oh my God,_ lower your voice!" Josh scolded her as he chuckled softly. He immediately got up and closed the door so no one would hear Maya scream again.

"Ok, you've gotta calm down," Josh told her. "And you  _can't_ tell  _anyone_ cos your father will  _kill_ me."

"Boing- you ride  _motorcycles?!"_ Maya asked him, absolutely shocked. He had  _never_ mentioned this to her,  _ever._ She felt like she was looking at an alien. How the hell had he kept that  _important, adventurous_  secret from her for  _so long?_

"I might have ridden it a couple times or so…" He admitted with a wide grin.

"What the  _hell. How_ have you  _never_  mentioned this?"

"You  _never_ asked," Josh told her with a teasing grin.

" _Oh my God_ ," Maya muttered excitedly. " _So,_ you're gonna take me on a  _motorcycle ride_?!"

"Alright, I didn't say  _anything_ like that," Josh retorted. "I  _only_ asked if you've ever ridden a motorcycle before. Let's get our facts straight, Ms. Hunter. And let's keep this convo between us if you want me to live past this weekend, ok?" He winked at her.

Maya nodded enthusiastically. "Ok," She responded.

"Alright, I'm gonna bounce. I'll see you downstairs? Remember, hush hush.  _Not_ a word. Not even to Riles, alright?" Josh told her with an amused grin.

"Ok, my lips are sealed," Maya nodded meekly.

"Okie-dok, see ya," Josh grinned affectionately at her before exiting the room.

Maya sighed happily as she laid back on the bed with an excited squeal. She didn't think it was possible, but she had just fallen a million times more in love with Joshua Matthews.


	29. Chapter 29

"You know, you're making me start to  _really_  miss Lucas. Are you gonna spend the rest of this weekend  _ogling_  my uncle?" Riley teased her best friend.

Maya grinned and turned her attention back to Riley. "Sorry, Hon. It's just... _look_  at him flipping those burgers...I've  _never_ seen him barbecuing before. He just looks so…so..."

" _Hot_?" Riley offered the word that Maya was hesitating to say.

Maya gasped before bursting into giggles. " _Riles_!" She exclaimed incredulously. "What's gotten  _into_  you?"

" _What_?" Riley shrugged with a wide, teasing grin. "That's the word you were thinking of, right? I can say it. I mean, we aint kids anymore Maya."

Maya shook her head at her before releasing a small sigh. "I'm afraid I've influenced you too much, my dearest friend. This is  _not_ good."

Riley giggled. "Oh gimme a break. I could be saying  _worse_ things Maya. Calling Josh  _hot_ is hardly anything. But I'm glad you are not mad at him anymore. At least, I don't have to play referee between you two. That was  _not_ fun."

Maya nodded. "Sorry, Riles. I really didn't mean to put you in that position."

"No, Peaches, I'm  _glad_ you did," Riley retorted. "I really meant what I said.  _Please_  don't keep anything from me anymore just cos he's my uncle.  _You_ come first. You will  _always_ come first.  _Comprende_?"

Maya smiled warmly at her friend before reaching over and giving her a tight hug.

"Thanks Riles," She muttered softly. "What will I do without you?"

"Um,  _gaze longingly_  at my uncle flipping burgers? Something tells me you'll be  _just fine_  without me, Peaches."

Maya burst out laughing before releasing herself from the embrace.

" _Not_  true," She immediately protested. "I could do that for  _maybe_ a day and then I'll start missing you, Honey," She said.

Riley raised a skeptical eyebrow at her. "So you say," She muttered softly as she shook her head in amusement.

"HEY! ERRBODY! I GOT MUSIC ON, HOW COME NOBODY WANTS TO BOOGAY?!" Eric yelled out. " _Fi-fi-fi-fi-FEEEENAY_! COME ON OLD MAN, LET'S DANCE!"

" _OVER MY DEAD BODY ERIC_!" Mr. Feeny yelled out in response, causing the rest of the family to burst out into laughter.

Mr. Feeny- who was always invited to any Matthews social gathering- was comfortably seated next to Alan and Amy in the large backyard where the Matthews July 4th barbecue celebration was officially in full swing.

Maya and Riley were seated on a blanket underneath the treehouse, enjoying the shade and the company of their family on the bright and sunny Saturday afternoon.

The Matthews sons- Cory, Josh and "honorary member" Shawn Hunter- were busy grilling hamburger patties, hot dogs and various other meats for the large barbecue lunch while the ladies, Topanga, Katy and Morgan, were engaged in a lively conversation with Annie Pinecomb, another neighbor, who had been invited with her husband, Steve Pinecomb and their two young sons.

As the only child present at the family gathering, Auggie was  _ecstatic_  to finally have two kids around his age with whom he could play. He was already playing a heated game of "tag" with them as they all waited for lunch.

Eric was in charge of the music which was playing via two small speakers he had set up.

"No one's listening cos your music  _sucks_  Eric!" Alan yelled out bluntly.

" _Dad!_ That's  _mean_!" Eric looked distraught. "How could you  _ever_ call  _Nickelback sucky?_ "

"Because it's  _Nickelback! Duhh!"_ Cory and Shawn both yelled out simultaneously before giving each other a boisterous high-five. Their wives, Topanga and Katy, burst out laughing while the rest of the family observed the exchange with immense amusement.

"You know,  _Nickelback always_ got hate for no reason. But ya'll just a buncha  _haters. Cos_ they're still the  _best band eva_. So take  _that Corina and Shawna!_ " Eric stuck out his tongue at the two best friends.

"Ok, you know what, there's a solution to this. I could go grab my guitar and start performing for all o' ya," Alan suggested excitedly. "What dyou think about  _that, family?!"_

" _Noooooooo_ ," All of them, except for Riley and Maya, cried out in unison.

" _Nobody_  wants to hear you sing, Old Man. Sit back down and relax so you can  _stay alive_. Remember what the doctor said. No  _strenuous_ activities. That includes singing  _any_ of your songs. I'm afraid they might kill ya," Amy teased her husband.

Alan made a sad face at her as Mr. Feeny laughed. "It's ok, Alan. You're always invited to my house. I sometimes need help falling asleep you know?"

Amy burst out laughing at that comment as Alan shook his head sadly. " _Losers,"_ He muttered under his breath.

"Don't mind them, Dad. I'll listen to you sing  _any day, any time._  Just lemme know! I'll try to make space in my busy schedule this summer," Josh yelled out teasingly to his father.

Alan smiled warmly at him. "Why  _thank you_ , Joshua. I  _swear_ , you're getting all my inheritance one day, Son."

" _Cool!"_ Josh exclaimed.

"BOOOOO!" Cory, Shawn and Eric yelled out simultaneously.

Alan laughed. "As the Good Book says,  _the last shall be first and the first shall be last._ Right, Feeny?"

"That's right, Alan.  _Preach on Pastor!"_ Mr. Feeny teased him as he raised his beer bottle in salute. They all burst out laughing.

" _A-HA-HA-HA! OH MY GOD, I'M DYING. U'RE REALLY FUNNY, FEENAY!"_ Eric cried out.

"LEAVE ME ALONE, ERIC, AND FIX THE DARN MUSIC!" Mr. Feeny yelled out.

"Okay! I think I got an idea, everyone!" Riley- the self-designated problem solver and peacemaker of the family- excitedly announced.

"Maya and I will be taking over the music. Uncle Eric, we all  _love_ you very much but not  _everyone_ loves  _Nickelback._ I don't even know who they are to be honest."

"You're not missing much, Honey!" Cory yelled out as he and Shawn started chuckling and high-fived each other again. Eric looked like he was about to cry.

"How about this? We're gonna go around and request a song or an artist from  _everyone!_ That way, we can play  _everyone's song_  and we will  _all_ be happy. And  _maybe_ , towards the end, you could even sing for us, Grandpa!" Riley turned her attention to Alan.

Alan smiled warmly at her. "You're a  _sweetheart_ , Riley bun. You always have been. Come here," He spread his arms out wide. Riley immediately ran into them and gave him an embrace.

"Awwwwww," The rest of the family intoned as they gazed affectionately at the scene.

"Grandma's turn!" Amy announced after Riley finished hugging Alan.

"I love you, Sweetie, for wanting to hear your ole Grandpa sing, but I'm afraid the rest of the family is right. I should probably shut up for today," Alan told her with a playful grin. "Maybe another time. I'll perform  _just for you, Augs and Maya,_ ok?"

Riley grinned and nodded. "Ok, Gramps. Looking forward to it."

She then turned her attention back to the group. "Maya, do you mind going around and taking song requests from everyone? Uncle Eric, d'you mind if I take over? I'll play your songs too, I promise," She smiled sweetly at him.

"Aww, with that smile,  _Niche,_ I'll do  _anything you want,_ " Eric responded affectionately. "Music duty is  _all yours_! Corina and Shawna are being jerks anyway. I'm just gonna sit down, relax and  _drink_  with  _Feenay_!  _Fi-fi-fi- FEENAY!_ I'm  _coming! Bottoms up, old fella!"_ Eric yelled as he bolted towards his old teacher and mentor.

"Dear God, take me now. It is  _time_ ," Mr. Feeny prayed as he quickly drank the rest of his beer.

Maya grabbed a notepad and pen to start taking song requests. She observed her boyfriend, who was busy turning over a piece of chicken on the barbecue grill, for a few seconds before heading towards him.

"Hello," She greeted him brightly.

"Oh, hey," Josh responded with a fond smile.

"BOOO! Back off my daughter, Baby Matthews!" Shawn screamed. "Yeah, back off,  _my brotha_!" Cory echoed.

They were both standing near the barbecue grill stuffing the finished hamburger patties into the bread buns.

Josh and Maya gave them a strange look before rolling their eyes and turning their attention back to each other.

"What's up, Maya?" Josh asked as he focused his gaze on the meats he was grilling in order to make sure they didn't burn.

"Um, I'm taking song requests and I was wondering if you had one," Maya asked him shyly.

"Oh, hm, let's see," Josh murmured as he thought of a song.

"Hey, I got a song request! Why don't you ask  _me_ , Daughter?" Shawn yelled out.

Maya ignored him.

"It's called  _I'll be watching you._ You know that song, Cor?"

Cory burst out laughing. "Yeah. That's like the stalker anthem isn't it?  _Every breath you take, every move you make...I'll be watching you!"_ Cory sang out in a tone deaf, high-pitched voice.

Shawn laughed and nodded his head approvingly. "Write that down, kid! That's my song request!" He informed Maya.

" _Leave_ them alone and focus on the burgers, ya Blockheads! We're  _starving_ out here!" Topanga yelled out with an annoyed look at Cory and Shawn.

"Agreed! You two are taking  _foreva, Slowpokes!_ " Katy exclaimed.

" _What-eva!_ " Cory responded in a sassy, defensive tone. " _Nobody_ rushes me and Shawny, ok? Ignore them, Shawny!  _Haters- all of them!_ "

Shawn chuckled and simply shook his head in amusement at his best friend's antics.

"Anything by  _Coldplay_ is fine with me. I can't really decide," Josh finally told Maya.

Maya nodded and grinned teasingly at him. "Any  _romantic_ Coldplay song you'd like us to play for a  _special someone_  today on a  _special anniversary_?" She winked at him.

Josh blushed and couldn't help chuckling. " _Um..._ let's see…" He looked up at the bright sun hanging in the clear, bluish sky and observed its illumination of the yellow blouse she was wearing.

"How about  _Yellow?_ That's one of their songs."

Maya raised a curious eyebrow at him. "The name of this special song is ' _Yellow'?_ " She asked him teasingly. "Sounds like a kids song, Boing, on  _Sesame Street._ Are you  _sure_ this is the song you wanna dedicate to this special someone? Just so you know, Ms. Special Someone is older than five. Not sure if all the smoke you inhaled today has gotten you all confused, so just wanted to remind ya."

Josh laughed. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure that's the right song," He responded confidently. "She'll know when she hears it," He winked at her.

"O-kay," Maya shrugged before writing down the song. "By the way, I'm starving. Hurry up with that already," She pointed to the barbecue before walking off.

_Josh beamed as he watched her walk away._

* * *

"Riles! Here are the songs. Play Boing's first," Maya handed Riley the list of all the song requests she had gathered.

"Ok," Riley responded excitedly before immediately playing the first song,  _Yellow_ , by Coldplay:

_Look at the stars_  
_Look how they shine for you_  
_And everything you do  
_ _Yeah they were all yellow_

_I came along_  
_I wrote a song for you_  
_And all the things you do  
_ _And it was called "Yellow"..._

_Your skin_  
_Oh yeah, your skin and bones_  
_Turn into something beautiful_  
_You know, you know I love you so_  
_You know I love you so_   


_I swam across_  
_I jumped across for you_  
_Oh what a thing to do  
_ _'Cause you were all yellow_

_I drew a line_  
_I drew a line for you_  
_Oh what a thing to do  
_ _And it was all yellow_

_Your skin_  
_Oh yeah your skin and bones_  
_Turn into something beautiful_  
_And you know_  
_For you I'd bleed myself dry  
_ _For you I'd bleed myself dry_

_It's true_  
_Look how they shine for you_  
_Look how they shine for you  
_ _Look how they shine for..._

_Look at the stars_  
_Look how they shine for you  
_ _And all the things that you do_

Maya's heart raced as she listened to the song and followed the lyrics on her phone. At one point during the song, she glanced up in his direction and found that  _his_  gaze was already resting on her. For a nanosecond, time stopped as their eyes met and he smiled warmly at her. Maya felt her eyes slowly getting wet.

* * *

"Here you go ladies. Hope you enjoy!" Josh announced excitedly as he handed Maya and Riley their finished burgers. " _Now_ , if you guys want  _anything_  else- ketchup, meat, salad, whatever, feel free to let me know and I'll be  _right_  at your service."

"Thanks, Uncle Josh," Riley told him with a warm smile as she grabbed her food.

"Thanks, Josh," Maya said softly.

"You welcome, ladies," Josh grinned affectionately at them before turning to leave.

"Josh, wait!" Maya called out to him.

He quickly turned around and smiled fondly at her as she approached him.

"Um, just wanted to let you know that the song you chose...it was really beautiful," She told him shyly. "Ms. Special Someone  _really_  liked it. So, she - uh- she wanted me to tell you that.  _And_ , she also wanted to say  _thank you_  for making this day so special for her."

Josh beamed at her as he felt his heart soaring from her candid words. He scratched the back of his hair lightly before responding. "Well, um, please tell Ms. Special Someone that I'm really glad she liked the song. It  _is_  one of my favorites, so it's nice to see that she likes it too.  _Also_ , please let her know that hopefully,  _next time_ , she won't be so quick to judge a song by its name. Her boyfriend  _might_  be an idiot, but he does have _great taste_  in music. Just saying," He winked at her.

Maya burst out laughing. "Ok, I'll let her know," She said.

" _Great_ , thanks," Josh replied. " _Oh_ , if you don't mind, can you also let her know that she needs to be ready by _5pm tonight_  to go out on a lil trip with me? In terms of clothing, she can wear whatever she feels comfortable in, but I'll advise against her wearing any dresses or short skirts. Considering the mode of transportation that we will be using, she would be better off wearing jeans, pants, shorts...something along those lines."

Maya grinned widely from ear to ear as she listened to him. The more he spoke, the more her face glowed with increasing excitement.

"Ok, will  _definitely_  let her know, Mr. Boing! She will be ready at  _5 o' clock, sharp_!" She responded enthusiastically.

Josh chuckled in amusement at her zealous response.

" _Awesome._  Thanks a lot for your help in conveying all these messages!" He told her teasingly. "One last thing I wanted to remind her of is to continue to keep secret the conversation we had this morning about transportation. Her parents already know that we will be going out tonight. They do  _not_  know about the mode of transportation however. So, if you could please tell her to keep quiet about that, I will _really_  appreciate it."

Maya nodded vigorously. "No worries, Boing. She won't say a word.  _Cross her heart and hope to die_!" She exclaimed.

Josh burst out laughing. "Well, hopefully there will be no dying! We don't want _any_  of that tonight. It aint that serious, girl."

Maya giggled. "Agreed! We definitely do  _not_  want that. Just a  _whole lot of adventure_. That's all," She stated with an excited grin.

Josh nodded. "Yep. Okie dok. I gotta go eat quick so I can help Eric set up for the Volleyball game. Lil advice, whatever you do,  _don't_ end up on his team. He gets  _crazy competitive_  and he will probably start yelling at you if you don't know how to play the game well. So, yeah, you've been warned."

"Ok, cool. Thanks for the heads up," Maya retorted.

"Till next time,  _Ms. Yellow_.  _Adios_ ," He nodded his head at her.

Maya smiled fondly at him when she heard him say the iconic words-  _"till next time."_  The last time he had said those words to her was  _exactly_  a week after they had just agreed to start playing the long game at the ski lodge. And _now_ , he was saying them  _exactly_ a week after they ended the long game and became an official couple at  _Six Flags_.  _How far they had come in such a short span of time._  She couldn't  _believe_  it. Everything was  _so perfect_  in her life now that there were times when she couldn't help but fear that it would all come crashing down. That  _someway, somehow,_  her newfound happiness and hope in life would all come to an abrupt end... _someday._ She constantly tried to remind herself to remain  _positive, hopeful_  and to not allow her fears and worries to ruin her present happiness. She wasn't used to having  _everything_  in her life function  _well_ , but she  _was_  going to do everything in her power to be  _grateful_  and to  _stay positive_ , no matter what. After all, it was the  _least_  she could do.

"Till next time, Boing," She told him fondly.

Josh gazed at her longingly for a moment before turning around to leave.

_Maya beamed as she watched him walk away._


	30. Chapter 30

**_Josh_** :  _Hey man, everything set w/ the bike? We'll be at ur place round 530ish. Thx again 4 letting me borrow. I owe u one._

**_Kyle_** :  _Np! I just wiped her down. She's lookin shiny, new n ready to rumble! Duuude, I still can't believe u're doing this! This girl's gotchu WHIPPED for you- of ALL people- to be doin sumin like THIS on the 1st date! I'm shooketh Matthews. My boy done graduated from tryin' to impress w/ his beat up ole car and Chubby's. LMAO._

**_Josh:_ ** _HAHAHAHARotflmao_

**_Kyle:_ ** _Lookin 4ward to meeting her and judging for myself the chick that finally captured my boy's <3\. Can't wait ;)_

**_Josh:_ ** _Lol. Whateva man. Just don't embarrass me, ok? Behave! She's gonna be super shy so try to be nice- please._

**_Kyle:_ ** _Muahahaha. I'll try. Now the big ? is, r YOU ready for TMR?! We can't look like fools, Matthews. I kinda ran my mouth a bit. So, we counting on u, man._

**_Josh_ ** _: Seriously? In all the years we've been playing 2gether Patters, when have u EVER needed to ask me that question? Relax. I was born ready. They won't know what hit 'em._

**_Kyle:_ ** _ALRITE BRO! Let's do this! Here comes #47! U still got ur uni right?_

**_Josh_ ** _: Ofc. Washed it and ironed this morning. Can't wait to play ball! Adams 4 lyfe :)_

**_Kyle:_ ** _Lol. Aight, dude. Can't wait either! K, k- lemme leave ya so u can clean up for Bae. See you soon Loverboy_ _😘_

**_Josh_ ** _: Lmao. Stfu_

**_Kyle_ ** _: :) xoxo_

**_Josh:_ ** _Seriously, Patters. Show her ur BEST._

**_Kyle:_ ** _Dude, I gotchu. Have I EVER let u down?_

**_Josh_ ** _: Um-_

**_Kyle:_ ** _Don't ans that_

**_Josh:_ ** _LOL_

**_Kyle:_ ** _Later, man_

**_Josh_ ** _: Aight_

* * *

 

Josh felt like he was floating on air as he took one last look at himself in the mirror before checking his time again: _4:45pm._ He was wearing a long-sleeved grey T-shirt with a pair of blue jeans, and black  _Nike_  sneakers.

He felt a sharp jolt of excitement (and nerves) in his stomach as he ran his hand through his hair. It certainly wasn't his first date, but the stakes had never been higher for him.  _Everything_ needed to be  _perfect_. It just  _had_  to. And he wasn't feeling that way because of her crazy father, who was still breathing down his neck  _every_  moment he got. Josh just wanted her to be  _happy_. That was all. If he could manage to bring a smile to Maya's face by the end of their time together that evening, that would be more than enough for him.

Shawn - and his sidekick, Cory- had taken him aside at some point during the barbecue to have a little "pre-date chat" with him.

"No  _funny business_ , Baby Matthews. Cos you  _know_  I'm gonna find out," Shawn stated in a menacing tone.

" _Yep._ He'll be  _watching you_ , my brotha. Remember his song request," Cory added with a vigorous nod.

"For the  _millionth_  time, we're having a  _picnic,_ Shawn, in  _public_ ," Josh responded with a weary sigh. "The only  _funny business_  that's gonna happen is me probably spilling my food all over and looking like a fool. _Hopefully_ , I won't spill anything on her. You've gotta  _relax_ Uncle Shawn. It's gonna be fine, I promise," Josh told him with a teasing grin.

"You see that, Cor? Ya _see_  that?! Your lil bro is  _messing_  with me," Shawn cried out in a panicked tone.

" _Oh, no!_  In what way, Shawny?" Cory asked him with a worried look on his face.

"He just called me  _'Uncle'_!"

"Well, what's wrong with that, Shawny?"

"What's WRONG is he thinks I'll soften up to him if he starts calling me, 'Uncle,' like he used to when he was an  _adorable, irresistible lil lad_. Well, it  _aint_ gonna work, Baby Matthews! But nice TRY, LADDIE!" Shawn cried out.

Josh and Cory burst out laughing at Shawn's comical outburst and his panicked facial expression. Shawn couldn't help but join in the laughter as well once he saw their reaction.

After the three ceased their laughter, Shawn placed his arm affectionately on Josh's shoulder and gave him a smile.

"I'm placing her in your hands tonight, Baby Matthews. Make sure you take care of her, and you bring her back safely. She comes back with a smile on her face, _maybe_  I'll let you guys have a second date. We got a deal?"

Josh nodded with a wide grin. " _Yep._  Thanks Shawn."

"Where you guys going, my brotha?" Cory asked curiously.

"Benjamin Franklin Parkway. We're gonna check out the art museums there, have a picnic and then stay for the July 4th concert," Josh responded.

" _Oh yeah_ , that's _tonight_?" Cory asked excitedly.

"Yep," Josh nodded.

"We're getting old Cor. Remember we used to be on top of all the happenings in town?" Shawn stated with a sigh.

" _Yeah,"_ Cory nodded. "Great choice, Josh! I totally forgot about that this year. Shawn, remember that year I took Topanga? We had a nice time."

" _Yep. Of course,_  I remember. I was there too!" Shawn laughed.

"Oh yeah, you were!" Cory grinned widely in amusement.

"Topanga was  _not happy_  about me tagging along on most of their dates, but she didn't really have a choice. I mean, I wasn't just gonna spend a Saturday night by myself in my room. I was  _way_ too cool for that _,_ " Shawn told Josh with a teasing grin.

Josh chuckled.

"I never minded Shawn hanging around but yeah, Topanga wasn't too happy. I think she issued an ultimatum soon after that and then Shawn kinda started backing off a bit from our dates," Cory explained.

" _Sad,"_ Shawn muttered under his breath as he slowly shook his head. "She just didn't appreciate the depth of me and Cor's friendship at the time, so I decided to give 'em some space out of the goodness of my heart. Later on, though, she came to understand. _Bless her heart_."

Josh simply shook his head amusedly at Shawn's comment before checking his time. "Alright fellas, would love to stay and here you guys reminisce about the good ole days but I gotta go get ready for my date. We should be home by 11 Shawn if that's ok with you."

"Yeah sure. Concert ends at like 10, right?"

"Yeah."

"Ok, no problem. Have fun, Baby Matthews."

"They still have the fireworks, right?" Cory asked Josh.

"Yeah. That's on July 4th though--so, Monday," Josh responded.

"Oh, right. Duh.  _Hey_ , we should all go to that! I'll tell Mom and Dad. What do you think Shawny?" Cory asked his friend.

"Yeah, that'll be nice. I think that's a great idea, Cor," Shawn responded with a wide grin. " _Man_ , it's good to be home," He said as he looked around fondly at the large backyard where he had spent many afternoons back in his teenage years playing soccer and baseball with Cory and Eric. 

" _Yep_ , it is," Josh nodded in agreement. As far as he was concerned, there was no better place to be than Philly for the 4th of July holiday weekend, and he couldn't  _wait_ to share the excitement and beauty of his hometown with Maya that evening.

* * *

 

_4:55pm._ Josh quickly placed a blanket, sunscreen, a few bottles of water, and the meal that he had prepared for their picnic dinner into his car. After he checked to make sure he hadn't forgotten anything essential, he took in a deep breath and started walking towards Morgan's room to pick up his date. He felt his heart racing with anticipation, giddiness and nervousness with every step he took. How was it possible that he had seen her almost every day for the past month but it still felt like  _the first time_  that he was going to be seeing her?

_Calm down, Matthews_ , he told himself.  _You're just hanging out with her like you normally do, that's all._ Except that was a lie and he _knew_  it, so he couldn't  _completely_  calm down. It was their  _first official date_ on their  _one-week anniversary_ which meant their hangout was going to be anything _but_  normal.

He was now at Morgan's door. He lifted his hand and gave a light knock.

"Hey Lil Bro! Right on time! Come on in!" Morgan exclaimed excitedly as she opened the door for him.

_"Woah. What in the world?"_  Josh muttered in shock as he immediately found himself facing all the women in his life - Topanga, Katy, Riley, Morgan and his Mom, Amy, - gathered inside the room and grinning widely at him. They surrounded Maya, who was seated on the bed and looking just as nervous as he was.

"Uh...is this an ambush? Should I start saying my last prayers now?" Josh asked in a fearful tone as he nervously scratched the back of his hair. They all burst out laughing.

"Don't be silly, Honey. We're just here for support. No need to be nervous," His Mom told him as she immediately approached him.

"We wanted to give Maya a little advice and morale support before her first date," She explained. "The guys told us they already did the same with you?"

"Um...ye-ah," Josh responded. "It was more like a threat, but I suppose you could call it 'giving advice,'" He said with an amused grin.

Amy laughed and reached out to lock her a son in a tight embrace.

"I'm proud of you, Sweetheart," She murmured. "It  _amazes_ me every day how quickly you're growing up. I'm just not sure I'm ready for it."

Josh smiled. "Thanks Mom, but as much as I _really_  appreciate this, you're kinda embarrassing me right now in-front of my date," He murmured as he grinned at Maya. Amy and the other ladies burst out laughing at his comment.

"Oh, sorry," Amy muttered before quickly releasing him. "You're right. I probably shouldn't be doing this right in-front of Maya. You're supposed to be all tough and manly now right?"

" _Yep_ , ya got it," Josh replied as he dramatically cleared his throat and puffed out his chest. Maya giggled as she stared fondly at him. He smiled widely back at her and observed her appearance. She was wearing a black and yellow checkered spaghetti-strap blouse with blue, high-waisted jeans, short brown boots, and a large yellow and pink-striped cardigan.  Her long blonde hair was flowing down her shoulders in luscious waves. Josh couldn't take his eyes off her as he stood gawking at her with a wide, silly grin. 

" _Uh-oh_. Here comes the freeze! Quick! Check if he's alive, Mom! _Pinch him_!" Morgan yelled out teasingly. 

"Shut up, Morgan," Josh murmured as he blushed in embarrassment and stared down at the floor. The ladies (except for Maya) burst out laughing again. 

"Alright, as much fun as this has been, I think we should stop torturing them now, girls, so they can go on their date," Topanga stated after the laughter ceased. 

"I think you're right Topanga," Amy nodded in agreement. "Maya? Are you ready to go, Sweetie?" 

Maya nodded shyly as she stood up from the bed and grabbed her bag. Riley and Katy, who were sitting next to her, stood up with her. 

"I hope you guys have a  _great_ time. Looking forward to hearing all the stories when you come back, ok?" Amy said as she beamed at her son and at Maya. 

"Ok, Mom. Thanks," Josh responded. 

"Take _lots_ of pictures, Lil Bro! We wanna see you and _Lil Ferret!_ " Morgan teased them. 

Maya groaned in embarrassment when she mentioned her nickname. Josh simply rolled his eyes and ignored his sister's comments. 

"Bye Peaches. Have a great time," Riley told Maya as she reached out to embrace her. 

"Thanks, Riles," Maya muttered softly. 

"Bye, Baby Girl. Enjoy yourself, ok? You look  _beautiful_ ," Katy - who looked like she was near tears- also reached out and wrapped her daughter in a warm embrace. Topanga immediately approached them and joined in the embrace as well. 

Once they had all said their goodbyes, Maya walked (awkwardly) towards Josh and smiled shyly at him. 

"Hi," She greeted him softly. 

"Hey," Josh responded. "You ready to go?" 

"Yep," Maya nodded with a wide, excited grin. 

"Ok, _great,_ " Josh replied as he felt his heart fluttering and butterflies filling his stomach. _"Vamonos, chica,"_ He murmured to her in Spanish with a fond smile before grabbing her hand and gently leading her out of the room. 

" _Bye!_ " The ladies yelled out enthusiastically as they left.  

" _Bye!_ " Josh and Maya both yelled back awkwardly. 

They had just stepped out of the house and were excitedly heading towards Josh's car, which was parked in the driveway, when they heard a sudden, booming yell from behind them. 

_"I'M WATCHING YOU BABY MATTHEWS!"_

_"Oh my God,"_ Josh muttered as he jumped in surprise and felt his heart pounding. 

Shawn, Cory and Eric burst out laughing at his reaction. 

"That wasn't funny Dad! You scared us!" Maya scolded him. 

"Sorry, kiddo," Shawn apologized as he approached them. "Just having some fun. You guys have a good time, ok? See you soon. You look  _absolutely beautiful_ , by the way," He smiled warmly at Maya. 

"Thanks," Maya responded with a soft smile.

"Come here, Daughter," Shawn beckoned her towards him. When Maya approached him, he gently wrapped her in his arms for a few seconds. 

_"Awwwww,"_ Cory and Eric both intoned. 

"Father and Daughter. How  _cutie_ ," Eric cooed like a little child. 

 Josh watched their embrace with a warm smile. 

"He does  _anything_  funny, you let me know, ok?  _Call me, right away_. I'll come pick you  _right_ up," Shawn told Maya. 

Maya rolled her eyes at him. "We'll be ok, Dad. See you later, alright?  _Try_  not to freak out too much," She told him teasingly. 

Shawn chuckled. "Easier said than done. But, I'll try," He assured her. 

"Bye, Dad," Maya grinned widely at him.  

"Bye, Daughter," Shawn responded affectionately. 

Maya walked back towards Josh who already had the front passenger door of his car opened for her. "After you, Ms. Hunter," He told her with a slight bow and an amused chuckle. Maya giggled and thanked him before sitting down. Josh closed the door for her and waved goodbye to the three men standing before him. 

"See you guys later." 

"Bye Josh," Cory waved at him. 

"Bye Joshie," Eric retorted. 

"Still watching you, Baby Matthews!" Shawn yelled out as he pointed his two fingers towards his eyes and then towards Josh. 

Josh grinned in amusement at Shawn's actions, before walking around the front of the car to sit in the driver's seat. 

" _Hi,_ " He greeted Maya in a cheery, playful tone as he started moving the car out of the driveway and onto the street. "Quite an  _interesting_  family we got there, right?" He commented. 

Maya burst out laughing at his statement, as she stared out the window at Shawn, Cory and Eric who were now jumping up and down and waving their hands enthusiastically as Josh and Maya quickly drove off. 

"I mean, if this is how they act for the first date, what are they gonna do when we get married?" Maya asked curiously. 

Josh laughed at her comment before he responded. " _Hold_  your horses, girl. Let's get through our first date first before the 'M' word pops up, Ok?"

Maya grinned. "Ok, Boing. I'll shut up for now, but we _are_  getting married. Just remember this convo cos it's gonna be a _huge_ 'I told you so' moment for me someday when we're standing up in-front of an altar saying our vows and our family is acting  _a lot_ crazier than they did today. Don't say I didn't warn ya."

Josh chuckled and shook his head amusedly at her as he kept his eyes fixed on the road ahead. "Alright. Whatever you say, Girlfriend Ferret," He told her softly. 

" _So_ , where we going Boing?" 

"It's a surprise."

"UGH!...Ok, can I ask about the motorcycle?  _When_  are we getting on it? _Is_  there a motorcycle? Or were you just  _teasing_ me? Can I at least ask  _that_?" 

" _Nope_. That's also a surprise."

"UGHH.  _Fine._ I won't ask _any_  questions then. I'm just gonna be quiet, and sit here all _ignorant_ , and watch you drive in _silence,_ " Maya muttered in a frustrated tone as she crossed her arms and sat back comfortably in her seat. 

Josh grinned fondly at her. "I'm glad you're here Maya...and I'm glad we're together...and you look gorgeous, as always. The yellow suits you," He told her softly. 

Maya blushed and beamed at him. She pulled the yellow and pink cardigan she was wearing more closely around her before responding to his compliment. 

"Thanks, Josh," She said softly. "Figured the yellow would be a fitting color for tonight...and I'm really glad we're together too." 

Josh glanced at her with a warm smile for a few seconds before turning his attention back to the road. "You can ask me any questions you want. Just not the first two questions you asked. Ok?" 

Maya chuckled. "Ok...but first, let's put on some music! And no, it's  _not_ gonna be  _Coldplay_. Sorry Boing. I know their songs are beautiful but in preparation for our adventure, we need something more  _upbeat_." 

Josh grinned. "Sure, no problem. Do whatever you want, Lil Ferret."

" _Awesome! Vamonos!_ " Maya cried out excitedly before she started fidgeting with his car radio. "Ooh, wanna listen to _Ariana Grande_?!" She cried out. 

Josh burst out laughing before giving a light shrug. It was going to be a _very interesting_  evening for him. That much he knew for sure. 


	31. Chapter 31

"So,  _Boing_ ,"

"Yes,  _Ferret_?"

"Were you as nervous as I was  _right_  before our date? I mean I was  _excited,_  but I was also _super nervous_  when I saw it was almost time. And of course,  _every single woman in the family_  being there and giving me advice _helped_  but not  _really_ , ya know?" Maya shook her head amusedly as she thought of her interesting, crowded, "pre-date" experience in Morgan's room.

Josh chuckled. "Yeah, I was nervous too," He admitted. "But I'm curious. What _advice_ did they all give you? I mean, was it like everyone took their turn to tell you something about how to have a successful date? Cos that just sounds _really_ awkward."

Maya chuckled as she fidgeted with his car radio again.

"Kind of, yeah. It _was_  a bit awkward. But we also laughed a lot throughout, so I guess that didn't make it  _too_ bad. The advice was pretty much the usual for the most part. Try to relax...enjoy the moment and not overthink anything if something doesn't go right...have fun...that kind of thing."

"Oh, ok," Josh sighed in relief. "Um, they didn't say anything negative about me, right?"

" _Well_..." Maya intoned.

" _What?_ " Josh asked curiously as soon as he noticed her hesitation.

"There  _were_ things said...but you know,  _what happens in Vegas_..." She grinned teasingly at him.

" _Wow_ ," Josh shook his head sadly as he quickly made a left turn at the intersection they had just reached. They were about 15 minutes away from his friend, Kyle's house where they were going to pick up the motorcycle.

"I'm disappointed in you, Lil Ferret," He told her with a teasing grin. "I thought we were a _team_. If sum'in was said about  _you_ by the guys, I would  _definitely_  let you know," He told her.

Maya gave him a skeptical look. "Would you really?"

"Yeah," Josh nodded as he glanced at her.

"What about the all-powerful, _bro code_? You would break that?" She asked him curiously.

Josh burst out laughing. "Well, first of, I think CorShawn are the only guys in the fam that have that. I don't think I'll  _ever_ be included in whatever the hell  _that_  relationship is,  _especially_ since I made the fateful decision to date you. So, yeah. I don't owe them anything. Second of,  _any_ guy that got something bad to say about my girl is no 'bro' of mine. It's that simple," Josh stated confidently. "Now _obviously,_ there's a difference between offering  _constructive criticism_ and just trashing someone. So, if a  _bro says something critical but it's constructive and respectful,_  then cool. Anyway, I'm rambling now-"

"Yes, you are, Honey," Maya teased him.

Josh chuckled. "But the  _point_  I'm trying to make is no 'bro' of mine is gonna disrespect  _anyone_  that I care about. Once that happens, then _screw_  the bro code cos we're no longer bros."

Maya grinned fondly at him.

" _Amen_ , Boing. That's my man!" She said teasingly. "Although, I now forget what the heck we were talking about? You rambled on  _way_ too much once I mentioned  _bro code._ I guess I hit a nerve?" She observed.

Josh grinned. "Sorry. I was wondering if the ladies said anything about me that was uh...not nice, but-"

"They didn't," Maya interjected. "I was just teasing you."

Josh nodded. "I figured as much considering my Mom was there."

Maya giggled. " _Exactly,"_ She said.

"But, with the bro code thing," Josh continued, "I once lost a friend on the Adams baseball team back when Anna and I were dating- cos he said something  _terrible_ about her. I basically stopped talking to him after I confronted him. Once he apologized, I cooled down a bit, but our relationship was  _never_ the same. So, yeah. I guess, maybe, that's the nerve you hit when you mentioned that. Being back here brings back lots of memories...both good and bad unfortunately," He smiled at her.

Maya nodded and started staring down at her fingers as she grew noticeably quiet for the next few seconds. Josh noticed the sudden change in her demeanor and immediately sensed the reason why.

"Gosh, I'm an  _idiot_ ," He said. "I shouldn't have mentioned my ex on our  _first date._ I'm sorry, Maya.  _Really_ didn't mean to do that. I was just trying to give an example of the bro code thing."

"It's ok, Josh," Maya responded. "I'm actually glad you told me that story. Sorry, I just needed a moment to process it. It reminds me of how protective you are. That's one of the qualities I really like about you," She beamed at him.

Josh gave her a warm smile. "Ok, I'm glad I didn't piss you off. But, time for me to shut up. I'm putting myself on a mini time-out now," He grinned.

Maya chuckled. "No need, Boing, cos I have  _more_ questions to ask!" She announced excitedly.

"Alright, go ahead."

"How long have you had this car?" She asked him.

Josh laughed. "Why do you ask?"

"Umm, just curious," Maya shrugged as she looked around at the interior.

"No need to be polite, Ferret," Josh told her with a wide grin. "It looks old and beat-up and you're wondering why a  _dashing young man_  like myself would  _ever_ approach this vehicle with a ten-foot pole. Am I right?"

Maya giggled. " _Maybe…_ " She said.

Josh chuckled. "I've had this car for a  _while._ It's like 15 years old…"

"Wow."

" _Yep_. Morgan first had it and then it got passed down to me. At first, I hated it cos it wasn't a brand new, shiny  _Lexus_  but it slowly grew on me. I call her Thelma."

Maya giggled. "Why  _Thelma?_ " She asked.

Josh pointed to the glovebox. "Open it," He told her. "You'll see a small black photo album. Start looking through it and you'll be able to guess why."

Maya raised a curious eyebrow at him. "You got a dead body in there, Boing?" She joked. "Am I next? You got a thing for high school age Blondes, right?  _Where_ are you  _really_  driving me?  _Maybe_ , I should call Daddy Shawn."

Josh chuckled in immense amusement as he shook his head at her. " _Just open the glovebox, ya silly girl!"_  He yelled at her.

Maya grinned and opened it. She saw the photo album as he had described and started flipping through the pages. There were several pictures of him with an elderly woman inside.

"Is this Thelma?" She asked him curiously as she stared at the photos.

"Yeah," Josh muttered softly as he kept his gaze fixed on the road.

"Who is she?" Maya asked.

"She  _was_ a lady I used to help out in the nursing home when I volunteered there during my Freshman and Sophomore year at Adams. She died like three years ago during my Sophomore year."

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry, Josh. I thought she was still alive," Maya quickly apologized.

"It's ok," Josh turned and gave her a soft smile. "She was like a Grandma to me, so I named my first car after her. Anyway, that's why I'm still holding on to this old thing and can't let go although I know it's time," He glanced around the car with a sad smile. "It still reminds me of her."

Maya felt her eyes slowly filling with tears as she gazed fondly at him. She sensed how much it meant for him to share these  _very personal_ details with her. It was rare for him to show her his vulnerable side. His extremely protective nature usually resulted in him trying to be there for her during  _her_ vulnerable moments but rarely allowing her to return the favor. The fact that he was now opening up  _like this_ about a clearly painful loss in his life was  _huge._  She hadn't expected it, but she was immensely appreciative of the fact that he had confided in her. The moment reminded her of the letter that he had written her  _just_ that morning in which he had poured out his heart to her in a way that he had never done before.

Before she could stop herself, she stretched out her hand to touch his arm lightly. Josh turned to look at her and she smiled warmly at him. Josh turned his attention back to the road, but not before he grabbed her hand with his right arm and gently held on to it while he steered with his left. He kept her hand in his until they finally reached Kyle's house.

* * *

"Um, where  _are_  we?" Maya asked as they parked in an empty parking spot in-front of a medium-sized, white house with a pristine front lawn.

Josh grinned excitedly at her. "Lil Ferret?" He said her nickname softly.

"Yes, Boing?" Maya responded with an amused smile.

"You  _sure_ you ready to ride a motorcycle?" Josh asked her.

Maya gasped. " _YES! YES, I AM!_ " She screamed excitedly.

Josh burst out laughing. "Ok, I get you're a New York City girl, but you  _really_ need to tone down your volume, girl," He advised her. "This is the  _suburbs._ We don't tolerate noise like that. Someone's gonna think I'm kidnapping you and call the police if they hear you scream again. So,  _try_ to calm down a bit once you see the bike, ok, kiddo? I  _really_  don't wanna end up in jail tonight."

Maya chuckled. "Ok, I'll try," She muttered.

"Alright, cool," Josh gave her a thumbs-up. "This is my friend, Kyle's house. Remember, Kyle? I've mentioned him several times before."

"Yeah, your baseball bestie from Adams."

" _Yep._ So, we're gonna borrow his bike to head to our  _next_ destination. And then  _after_  our date, we'll ride back here, pick up  _Thelma_ and head back home. That way, nobody has to know nuthin', and it's all good. Plan makes sense?"

"Yeah," Maya nodded. "It's a pretty smart plan, Boing. I'm impressed."

Josh beamed at her. "Well, you know, I didn't go to college early for nu'in, ya know what I'm saying?" He bragged.

" _Shut up."_

Josh laughed.

" _Anywho_ , lemme give good ole Kyle a call." Josh quickly took out his phone and dialed his friend's number.

"Patters! Yeah- we're here! Alright, see you soon... _shut up..._ you don't even _have_ a car anymore...whateva, man. Aight, see ya," Josh grinned widely in amusement before ending the short call.

"Ok, he's coming down. We can get out," He told Maya.

" _Josh_ ," Maya said his name softly. "I'm a bit...nervous," She admitted as she held on to his hand.

"What? About the motorcycle?" Josh asked. "We don't have to take it, Maya. We're only doing this because I knew you'd really like it."

"No," She shook her head. "Not nervous about the motorcycle, which is really ironic I know," She grinned amusedly. "I'm...I'm nervous about meeting Kyle."

" _Oh,_ " Josh smiled warmly at her. "Of course, you would be...I figured as much. Don't be, ok?" He squeezed her hand gently. "He's really nice, and I told him to be on his best behavior so, it should be fine. Plus, my game is tomorrow, remember? If he screws things up with you today, I'm gonna pull out of the game, and that's the _last thing_  he needs right now. So, it will be a harmless encounter, I promise."

Maya nodded. "Ok."

"I just realized that because of our crazy family I didn't even get a chance to kiss ya before we got here," He told her.

Maya blushed and grinned amusedly at him.

"Well, better late than never I suppose," He murmured before he leaned in towards her and gave her a gentle kiss.

"You feeling better now?" He asked her softly after pulling away. Maya nodded and gave him a soft smile.

"Alrightie. Let's go."

They got out of the vehicle and started heading towards the front porch of the house. They had barely walked a couple steps when a tall, brown-haired, teenage boy with a playful, wide grin emerged from the front door. He was donning a white, polo T-shirt and grey jeans. When he saw them, he quickly bounded down the porch steps and headed towards them.

"Matthews! Good to see ya, man!" He called out excitedly as he reached out and gave Josh a firm handshake which was immediately followed by a brief hug with a few firm pats on the back. Maya observed their interaction with an amused smile.

"I missed ya, man," Kyle told Josh after their embrace.

"Me too, Patters. Me too. You still need to eat more though. Why you looking so  _lanky?_ No wonder you scared tomorrow," Josh teased him.

Kyle burst out laughing. " _Shut up,_  Dude. I aint got no problem with my looks, ok?"

Josh chuckled before he turned his attention to Maya.

"Kyle, this is Maya, my girlfriend. Maya- this is Kyle, my best friend from Adams. He is now a college boy too.  _Really_ hard to believe. He just graduated this past May and he will be going to Temple University starting this Fall."

"It's _really_ nice to meet you Maya. Josh told me a little bit about you.  _All_ good things- don't worry," Kyle smiled as he immediately reached out and shook Maya's hand.

"Nice to meet you too, Kyle," Maya said shyly. "Josh says you guys go way back, like in middle school you met?"

"Yeah, we met at Adams Junior High when we both made the baseball team," Kyle responded. "We played baseball and soccer together, so we were basically hanging out every day. As you can imagine, it didn't take long for us to get tired of each other. You know, Matthews can be pretty annoying sometimes with his  _perfection._  Not sure if you've noticed," Kyle glanced at Josh with a teasing grin.

Maya laughed. "A  _little_ ," She responded.

Kyle chuckled. "You can be honest. I was usually the one that would tell him to  _relax._ Now, the funny thing is, when he _did_  let loose occasionally,  _boy_ , did he let  _loose. And,_ I'm not gonna say anything anymore cos he's looking like he's gonna murder me at  _any_ moment if I say  _anything_  else…"

Josh chuckled and shook his head at his friend in amusement. "Remember when I told you to  _behave_ Kyle?" He told him teasingly. "This  _aint_  it, Bro."

Kyle laughed. "Anyway, I'm just messing around, Maya. Josh's a great guy. And from what he told me, he seems to  _really_ like you. So, there won't be  _too_ many problems. He _does_ think he's perfect though, although we both know he's not. So, you're just gonna have to keep reminding him of that and bring that humungous ego down. That's pretty much it.  _There._ How'd I do, Matthews?"

"Better...I'll give you 85%," Josh retorted with a playful grin.

Kyle chuckled. "Alright, I'll take it," He said.

"Now Maya, you're from New York, right?" He asked her curiously.

"Yeah," Maya nodded.

"Cool. What do you think about Cedar Heights so far?" He asked. "Pretty boring I'm guessing compared to the city?"

"No, it's nice out here, actually," Maya stated. "Really beautiful. And it's always nice to get together with Josh's family here so I really like it."

Josh smiled fondly at her.

"Cool. And what grade are you in? Are you in college too?" Kyle asked.

Maya hesitated for a moment as she glanced nervously at Josh.

"Maya's in high school with my niece Riley. Remember her?" Josh quickly answered for her.

"Oh yeah, I remember Riley," Kyle stated excitedly. "I met Riley once when her family came over for Christmas a few years ago," Kyle explained to Maya. "So, you guys go to the  _same_ high school in the city? That's really cool."

"Yeah, we've actually been best friends since we were like 5," Maya explained.

"Oh,  _wow,_ " Kyle exclaimed. "That's  _really_ neat. Small world."

"So, we met through Riley. Sort of," Josh told him.

" _Sort of?_ If it wasn't for Riley, we would have  _never_  met, Josh," Maya corrected him.

"Well, you never know," Josh retorted with an amused grin. "It  _is_ a small world, Maya. Who knows? We coulda bumped into each other in New York and  _voila._ "

"Yeah, love at first sight," Kyle teased him. "Kinda like in a rom-com."

"Shut up, Kyle!" Josh retorted. Maya and Kyle burst out laughing.

"Anyways,  _really_  nice meeting you, Maya. We'll chat some more tomorrow after the game, I'm sure. You coming, right?" He asked her.

"Yeah," Maya nodded. "Josh invited me."

"Oh ok, great. It's gonna be lit. Can't wait, man," He grinned at Josh.

"Me too," Josh nodded with a wide smile.

"And Maya, feel free to ask me anything you need to know about Josh. I'll give you all the deets," He told her. Maya giggled.

Josh simply shook his head and rolled his eyes at Kyle.

"Alright. Enough chatting. Bike time?" Kyle asked.

" _Yep_ ," Josh nodded. "Thanks again, Dude."

" _No problem_. Follow me," Kyle told them as he led the way around the house to the backyard.

Maya gasped in awe when she saw a large, black motorcycle perched by a large tree in the middle of the yard.

"She's beautiful, isn't she?" Kyle asked Maya when he saw her reaction.

Maya nodded.

"I've had this bike for like two years now," Kyle told her. "Taught Matthews how to ride it."

"You did. And then I think I got better at riding it than you," Josh teased him.

" _Never_ ," Kyle retorted. "Anyway, Josh tells me you've  _never_  been on a motorcycle, Maya? You sure you ready for this?"

" _Heck, yeah!"_ Maya exclaimed excitedly. Her heart was racing with excitement as she moved closer to the motorcycle to observe its features.

Josh and Kyle chuckled as they stood a little behind and watched her.

"I think you got the perfect girl for you, Matthews," Kyle told him. "I won't have to worry about you letting loose anymore, that's for sure."

Josh grinned widely at his comment. "I just hope everything goes well today, man," He muttered.

"It will," Kyle assured him. "The July 4th festival is a  _great_  idea. You guys are gonna have a blast. Just make sure you take care of my baby."

Josh rolled his eyes at him. "Rhoda will be fine. Don't worry. I won't let anyone steal her away considering she's the only girl in your life right now," He told Kyle teasingly.

Kyle chuckled. "I aint got  _no problem_  with that, man. Enjoying my freedom, Matthews.  _Trust_  me," He retorted.

"By the way," Kyle continued in a low voice. "I like her. She's pretty cool.  _Cute_  too. You know how to pick 'em, Matthews. You always have. You were always  _so slow_  with it, but I guess that strategy has always worked out for ya, so, there ya go."

Josh smiled. "Yeah, I like her too," He muttered as he gazed fondly at Maya who was still gawking at the motorcycle.

" _Whipped,"_ Kyle muttered teasingly as he made a whipping motion with his hand.

"Shut up," Josh scolded him.

Kyle chuckled and patted him playfully on the back. "Alright, Matthews. Let's get you guys on the road," He said.

Within a few minutes, Josh and Maya were both wearing helmets and were seated securely on the motorcycle.

Maya's heart was pounding with excitement as she sat behind Josh and placed her arms firmly around him. She was also wearing Josh's large backpack which had all the items that they needed for their trip.

"You ready, Lil Ferret?" Josh asked her softly as he turned to look at her. "It's not too late to change your mind and we can just take  _Thelma._ "

Maya chuckled. "Are you _kidding?_  No offense against your beloved car, Josh, but  _hell_ no. Let's ride, Baby!  _Vroom, vroom!_ "

Josh burst out laughing. "You're a  _crazy_  one, Hunter. Now, I only got one rule for you.  _Hold on tight, and don't ever let go of me the entire time, ok?_ "

Maya nodded. "I won't, Boing," She grinned as she tightened her grip around his stomach and rested her helmeted head on his back.

" _Mmm_ …You smell so good, Boing," She murmured.

Josh laughed. "Uh... _really random_ comment, but thanks," He told her.

"Alright, bye Patters!" Josh waved to Kyle who was standing nearby and waiting for them to ride off.

"Bye Matthews! Bye Maya! You guys have a great time!"

"Bye, Kyle! Thanks!" Maya called out.

Josh sparked the engine of the motorcycle and a loud, rumbling,  _vroom_  sound echoed around them.

"WOAH!" Maya cried out excitedly as she jumped a little at the sound.

Josh laughed and sparked the engine again.

" _You ready, Maya?!_ " He yelled out to her.

"YEAH!" Maya screamed.

"ALRIGHT, LET'S GO!"

In a few seconds, the motorcycle sped off onto the road with a few puffs of smoke billowing behind it.

"WOOOOOO!" Maya screamed for ten seconds straight as Josh chuckled in amusement. He was certain that he was going to be deaf by the end of their experience that evening.

But it was all worth it.


	32. Chapter 32

"How ya doin' Ferret?" Josh asked her as they came to a traffic stop a few minutes from their destination.

" _AWESOME_!" Maya yelled out excitedly as she pumped her fists up in the air enthusiastically. "This is  _so_ LIT!" She screamed.

Josh chuckled before shaking his head at her in amusement. "What did I say about you holding on to me at  _all times?_ Those hands you got up? _They should be around me!_ "

"Oh sorry!" She apologized before quickly wrapping her arms around him again and resting her head for a brief moment on his back. "Thanks Boing. I'm having a great time," She murmured softly.

Josh grinned affectionately at her. He was on cloud nine. Seeing her  _so excited_ about being on a motorcycle for the first time filled him with immense joy, affection...and  _love_ towards her. He was elated to be sharing such a special and  _thrilling_ experience with her, and he couldn't  _wait_  to see what her reaction would be to the rest of their adventure that evening.

Within five minutes, they reached  _Benjamin Franklin Parkway_ and he spotted  _Logan Square Self-Parking Garage._ He slowed down before easing the motorcycle inside into an available parking spot.

"We're here!" He happily announced as he removed his helmet and turned around to face his girlfriend.

" _Yayyyy_ ," She intoned as her ocean-blue eyes brimmed with excitement. "I'm  _so_  hyped right now, Boing.  _Best date eva._ I say we just keep riding for the rest of the night and that'll be enough. _We don't need to do anything else!_ Seriously."

Josh chuckled. "I'm glad you enjoyed the ride," He told her with a fond smile. "Luckily for you- there's _plenty_ more where that came from. Who knew all those awful lessons from Kyle back in the day would come in handy?" He winked at her.

Maya grinned.

" _But_ , today is a special day and there's  _a lot more_  that I wanna show you so that you can truly enjoy Philly. So, let's get to it! Ready to explore, Ms. Hunter?"

"YASSS!" Maya cried out enthusiastically. " _But_ first things first. I gotta take a selfie in this helmet for my insta. Can't  _wait_ to see what the gang says." She quickly took out her phone and snapped a photograph of her helmeted face.

"Wadja think?" She excitedly showed Josh the picture.

He grinned. " _Beautiful,_ " He responded with a fond smile. "Wanna take a pic of the bike too so you can show 'em?" He suggested.

" _Nah_ , I wanna tease 'em a lil bit before I show 'em more," Maya said with a mischievous grin as she immediately uploaded the selfie onto her instagram and captioned it:  _Ride or Die #july4th #philly #hyped #boing <3 @joshmatthews_

"Here, look," She showed him her instagram post with a wide but slightly nervous smile. "I hope you don't mind the last hashtag," She told him shyly. "I know we haven't posted anything online yet...about us...but I couldn't resist adding that part."

Josh smiled warmly at her. "It's fine. I don't mind it."

" _Ok, cool,_ " Maya exclaimed excitedly before finally taking off her helmet and the black, leather jacket Josh had given her before the ride. "I'm ready to explore now! Let's go, Boing!" She quickly disembarked from the motorcycle and started running towards the exit of the parking garage.

"Maya, hold on!" Josh cried out to her with an amused chuckle as he approached her. "Just wanted to do something before we officially set off," He told her.

"Oh? And what will that be, Boyfriend Boing?" Maya asked him teasingly.

Josh beamed at her in response before he wrapped his arms around her, leaned in and gave her a kiss.

"Figured this might help psych you up even more before we head out," He muttered to her softly after pulling back.

Maya gazed at him, her heart fluttering and her stomach exploding with butterflies. "If I don't make it back alive tonight Joshua Matthews, please know that you're the cause of my death. Too much of everything is bad, Boing. With all this excitement, I swear, I'm gonna explode soon. It's only a matter of time."

Josh grinned amusedly at her comment. "Well it's a good thing your boyfriend is Pre-med, Ferret. Let's just say I've picked up a few first-aid tips along the way, so you'll be aight," He reassured her.

Maya nodded. "We'll see," She whispered before leaning in and pecking his lips softly. "Okie-dok.  _Vamonos, Senor Boing?_ " She asked him in Spanish.

" _Si, Senorita,"_ Josh responded before grabbing her hand and leading the way.

* * *

Maya's head swiveled like a bobble-head toy as she excitedly observed her surroundings and the throng of people around her.

"Welcome to Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Maya!" Josh told her excitedly as he led her through the festive crowds. "This is the heart of Philly. It's basically the main tourist area but it's not _just_ for tourists. If you're looking for cultural and artistic events in Philly, this is the place to come. Today's the July 4th festival so that's why it's so crowded, more so than usual.  _Now_ , what we're gonna do first is to check out most ofthe touristy stuff around here - so get your Insta ready for that-" He grinned teasingly at her. "And  _then_ , we're gonna grab a seat, eat and stay for the July 4th concert. It's gonna be  _really_ fun."

Maya grinned widely as she looked around at the numerous families wandering around, the food vendors, the music and the overall festivities going on around her.

"Wow, this is  _so_  awesome Boing. Seriously, thanks. I- I wasn't expecting us to do  _anything_  like this tonight. I'm kinda feeling a lil overwhelmed...in a good way though," She beamed at him.

"Aww, you welcome, Ferret," Josh retorted as he squeezed her hand gently. This was  _exactly_  the reaction he had hoped to elicit from her. So far, the date was going  _just_  as he had envisioned, and he couldn't be happier.

"Ok, so our first stop is gonna be the Philly Museum of Art. It's the one place you gotta visit if you're in Philly _and_  into art...or in your case, an artist! So, wadja think? Let's head there first? Or are you really hungry and wanna just sit down and eat?"

"No, let's go to the museum! Can't wait to see some art!" Maya responded excitedly.

Josh chuckled. "Hopefully, we can wade through this _massive_  crowd and not get separated," He mumbled as he held on more tightly to her hand and attempted to avoid colliding into anybody else.

 _"Josh?!"_ He heard a voice calling out his name loudly.

He instinctively turned towards the direction of the voice and  _there_  she was. Anna Winthrop was standing off to the side by one of the food cart vendors and waving at him excitedly.

She was holding a little girl's hand who Josh guessed was probably her younger sister, Lucy. The last time Josh had seen Lucy was three years ago when she was barely walking.

 _Holy crap_ , Josh thought in shock as he stood dumbfounded and returned his ex-girlfriend and former best friend's gaze. The fact that it had  _never_  crossed his mind even  _once_ that he could possibly run into Anna at the annual July 4th festival which he knew she and her family attended  _every year_ (Josh had even joined them a couple of times),was a testament to how absorbed he had been recently in his blossoming relationship with Maya. He had been  _so_  focused on giving Maya the  _perfect_ first date that he had failed to prepare for a  _very possible_ encounter like this.

 _Of course this would happen to me in the middle of a humongous crowd on my first date with Maya...cos that's just how rotten my luck is..._ He thought frustratedly as he plastered a wide smile on his face and led Maya towards Anna because it would have been  _extremely_  rude for him to ignore her and just keep walking like he hadn't even seen her. For her part, he could tell Anna looked uncomfortable as well the moment she noticed Maya by his side. He could easily see it in her body language. The excitement of seeing him just a few seconds earlier had dissipated. He was happy to see her. After all, everything was fine between them now. But the timing of their encounter was just _terrible._

"Wow,  _hey Anna_..." He greeted her awkwardly as soon as he reached her.

" _Hey_..." Anna responded just as awkwardly. "Sorry, Josh, I - uh- didn't mean to bother you...I didn't know..." Her voice trailed off as she glanced nervously at Maya who was quietly studying the entire interaction with a look of discomfort and dread on her face the  _moment_ she heard Josh mention the unknown girl's name. The two girls made eye-contact and exchanged nervous smiles before quickly breaking it off.

"Um..." Josh's heart was beginning to race as he turned to look at Maya and then back at Anna before scratching the back of his hair nervously.

 _What the freaking hell..._ He thought again in mild frustration.

"Anna...this is uh, my girlfriend, Maya," He finally started the introductions. "Maya...this is uh, Anna..." His voice trailed off as he observed the blonde's reaction keenly. He could see the panic...and fear...in her expressive blue eyes.

"Nice to meet you, Maya," Anna stated as she smiled widely at Maya.

"Um...nice to meet you too," Maya mumbled in a low tone that was barely audible.

"Hi Lucy," Josh immediately turned his attention to the little girl who was holding Anna's hand and observing Josh and Maya warily. "She's so grown up," Josh commented.

"Yeah," Anna smiled as she glanced fondly at her sister. "Not a baby anymore."

"Definitely not. She also  _definitely_  doesn't remember me. She has the  _'who the heck are you and why are you talking to my sis'_ look on her face," Josh pointed out.

Anna giggled. "Yeah, remember she used to be super friendly? She's not like that anymore if she doesn't know you. Her personality has changed. Come on Luc, you don't remember Josh?" She bent down and made eye-contact with her sister as she pointed to Josh. "He used to help me babysit you sometimes when you were a baby!"

"No!" Lucy cried out and shook her head forcefully as she glanced shyly at Josh and then at Maya again.

Josh and Anna burst out laughing at the little girl's reaction. Maya didn't join in the laughter.

"I wanna go to Mommy, Anna!" Lucy whined.

"Yes, of course Luc. Just lemme buy us some food ok?" Anna responded to her sister.

"Sorry, uh, again, I  _really_  apologize for interrupting you guys," She stated. "It was nice seeing you again, Josh. And  _really_ nice meeting you, Maya," She smiled. "Hope you guys have fun."

"You too, Anna," Josh replied. "I'm sure we'll probably run into each other again at some point this summer. Maybe you'll remember me then, Lucy?" He joked.

Lucy simply stared at him without responding.

Anna giggled. "I'm sure she will," She said. "Are you hanging around this summer?" She asked Josh curiously.

"Uh, yeah," Josh responded. "I'm helping out at my Dad's store so will be around for like a month before heading back to the city."

"Oh cool," Anna replied.

"What about you? When are you moving to the city for Columbia?" Josh asked her.

"I'm gonna wait until orientation in August then I'll move into my dorm. In the meantime, I'm just trying to have a relaxed summer and not rush anything since this will be my last summer of freedom. So, I'll be hanging around as well. I'll be waitressing at  _Chubby's_ if you ever stop by. You'll probably see me. Anyway, see you guys around. Have fun," She said.

"Sure. Thanks Anna. You too. Bye," Josh replied with a friendly smile before grabbing Maya's hand and leading her away.

He could tell by the look on her face that she was _not_  pleased. His suspicions were confirmed when she gently let go of his hand the second they merged with the crowd and were out of Anna's sight. His heart dropped as he gazed at her. This was _not_  how he had planned for things to go between them that evening.

"Maya...you should hold on to my hand...there are so many people, we might get separated," He told her.

"I'm good," Maya mumbled as she avoided eye-contact with him.

Josh sighed in frustration before he grabbed her hand forcefully and started leading her in a different direction from where they were previously headed.

" _Josh, what are you doing?_ " Maya asked him in shock as she felt herself practically being dragged by him. She tried to release her hand, but he held on with a firm grip.

"Sorry, Maya. Just bear with me for a few more minutes," He told her with a serious expression on his face.

Maya groaned but decided not to quarrel with him in order to avoid making a scene in the public square.

Within a couple minutes they reached a large, red sculpture consisting of the letters "L," "O," "V," and "E" which spelled the word "LOVE." Maya gasped in awe as she looked up at the 12 feet tall, iconic "LOVE" statue which was the symbol of the city of Philadelphia - the "Land of Brotherly Love." She had seen it on the internet and on television, but this was her first time seeing the famous Philadelphia sculpture  _in-person_. There was a large group of people gathered around the sculpture and taking pictures underneath it.

Josh quickly led her through the crowd to an isolated spot near the sculpture where they could gaze at it more closely.

 _"Wow, cool,"_ Maya muttered as she held up her phone and snapped a picture. Josh smiled warmly at her.

"Not mad at me anymore?" He inquired curiously.

Maya glanced at him before turning her attention back to the sculpture. She studied it quietly for a brief moment before observing the numerous couples who were happily taking pictures and/or kissing each other underneath the sculpture.

"I wasn't  _mad_  at you," She finally responded while still avoiding eye-contact with him. "I was just feeling a little..." Her voice trailed off.

"Insecure?...scared?...panicked?" Josh finished her sentence.

She nodded her head gently. "Yeah," She mumbled. "She's  _very pretty_...and she seems  _really nice,_ and I guess, I never really thought about how much  _history_ you guys have..." Her voice trailed off as she thought back to Josh and Anna's conversation. "I mean, when she mentioned you helping her to  _babysit..._ I was just..." She took in a deep breath before continuing. "You guys seemed  _so comfortable_  chatting and I just felt  _so_  left out like the third wheel the  _whole_  time...and there was a part of me that just felt like maybe  _I'm_  in the way...you know? Like, if I wasn't around, you two, you would be  _just fine probably..._ it would be like no time had passed at all...cos you still have this  _connection_...I mean, you're probably gonna be seeing each other a lot this summer, and you're both in college and you have  _all this history and so much more in common._..and you still care about her and she still cares about you- it was  _very_  obvious...like she was  _so happy_  when she saw you, and then she looked  _so sad_ when she saw me. I could tell..." Maya glanced at him. "Lemme guess. You've probably been here with her for this festival before, right?" She asked him.

He had been afraid of that question. Josh hesitated for a moment before he nodded. "Yeah," He responded. "A couple times before...once when we were just friends and once when we were dating..."

Maya sighed. "Like I said, I feel like I'm in the way, Josh..." She muttered as tears started gathering in her eyes. "And I _know_  I shouldn't feel this way and it's  _not_ your fault...but I can't help it. There was just  _something_ about your convo...it's hard to explain..."Her voice trailed off. "I'd  _never_  want to be the person that's  _stopping_ you from having the relationship you want to have, you know?...so, that's why I stopped holding your hand," She explained. "Anyway, cue my  _Forrest Gump_  voice- _and that's all I have to say about that_ ," She concluded in a comical, accented tone as she gazed at her boyfriend with a few tears still lingering in her eyes.

Josh couldn't help but chuckle softly at her unexpected reference to the movie,  _Forrest Gump,_  and her humorous  _Forrest Gump_ impersonation _._ After all, that was one of his all-time favorite movies. And here she was convinced that  _he had more in common with Anna than he had with her._  It was time for him to set the record straight once and for all.

"You done? You sure,  _that's all you have to say about that?_ Cos I wanna make sure you get it  _all outta your system_ , kiddo. Lemme know if you're _done done_ before I say my piece," He told her with a warm smile.

Maya nodded. "Yep, I'm done," She said.

"Ok,  _great_ ," Josh responded. "First of, you kinda _suck_  at the  _Forrest Gump_ impression. No worries though, I can give you some lessons - free of charge."

Maya rolled her eyes at him but couldn't help grinning amusedly at his comment.

"Second of, you just gave me our  _second_ date idea. I was already wondering what the heck we were gonna do for the rest of the weekend before you finally leave me for your fabulous family vacay in the Poconos. We're _totally_ watching _Forrest Gump and Ferris Bueller back to back_ on my laptop in the treehouse and eating popcorn. I say we do it _manana_. What dyou think?"

Maya grinned widely at him as her eyes shone excitedly.

"That sounds awesome! I love  _Ferris Bueller!_ " She exclaimed.

"Me too. Two of my fav movies. Guess what?! That's something we have in common, Ferret! Look at that!" He told her with an amused grin.

Maya smiled.

"Ok,  _now_ I'm gonna get to the serious part. First of all, yes, Anna and I do have a good amount of history together considering we were really close friends in middle school before we even started dating in high school _so_ , there will always be that. But, Maya, the  _connection_  that you think she and I still have is precisely because we were _such good friends_ back in the day. We helped each other through some of the most difficult and awkward times of middle school  _and_  high school and we went through the growing, maturing process together. So, if you see us chatting and you  _sense_  that there's something still there-  _that's_ what's there. Nothing more, nothing less. There are  _no_  romantic feelings between us anymore. Certainly, not on my part. I'm not sure how I can emphasize that any more than I already have.  _But_ , to keep this all short because we've already spoken  _a lot_  about this, I'm just gonna get straight to the point." He took a deep breath before he continued speaking.

"I dragged you here Maya before this sculpture to finally tell you something that I could _never_ tell Anna." Maya's heart started to pound when she heard those words.

"Now, just like last week when I wasn't  _planning_  to make things official but it just happened because of circumstances beyond our control, it's looking like I'm gonna have to do the same  _today._ Because the  _last thing_  I want for our _first, official_  date is for my girlfriend to _still_  be feeling insecure about our relationship and about my feelings for her after one unexpected, run-in with my ex. I wasn't planning to tell you these words today, Maya. But it's not because I don't feel them, or that I haven't felt them for a while now. I wanted to wait until the right time...but God works in mysterious ways I guess, and so,  _here_  we are, yet again," He grinned. "Not even sure why I even bother to make plans anymore, especially when it comes to our relationship because things just  _never_ go according to plan. Just a lil pattern I've noticed so far...anyways, I'm rambling."

He moved closer to her and grabbed both her hands in his tenderly. Maya's eyes immediately filled with tears as she gazed into his eyes.

"I might have come here with Anna before you, Maya, years ago, but that still doesn't change the fact that she and I broke up because I couldn't tell that I loved her. We were together for a year, known each other much longer before that, and I  _still_  couldn't tell her. I didn't want to lie to her. She deserved the truth. And so do you.  _I love you, Maya. A lot. I'm in love with you, my beautiful, Lil Ferret._ Don't ask me why, don't ask me how, don't ask me when it started..." His voice trailed off as he gently wiped a tear from her eyes. "All I know is that this is how I feel... _now_. And it's  _finally_  time you knew. So, yeah,  _that's all I have to say about that,"_ He grinned widely at her as he wiped more of her tears away. "Now,  _that's_  how you do a  _Forrest Gump_  impression," He teased her. "That was  _good_  right? You know, instead of crying, you  _should_ be taking notes on this, Ferret," He beamed at her before he pulled her into his arms and buried his face in her hair as he warmly embraced her.

Maya sobbed some more as she buried her face in his chest. She was  _absolutely_ lost for words. Her mind was  _completely_  blank. All she could do was shed more tears as she clung to the boy that she loved so much. And so, that's what she did for a full minute as they stood silently underneath the majestic, "LOVE" sculpture.

 _"I love you too, Josh,"_ She finally whispered as she gazed at him.  _"I love you so much...and I promise you, Boing, that I always will,"_ She told him with a fond smile.

Josh felt his heart racing frantically as he lost himself in her eyes and as he felt his tears slowly cloud his vision. He quickly pushed them away and caressed her face affectionately before he leaned in and gave her a soft, lingering kiss. For a brief moment, they were completely lost in each other...the warmth of their words...the power of their emotions...the passion of their pounding hearts which were both ready to fall out of their chests, break free from their cages, and finally soar into the ocean blue, radiant sky. In that moment, they were the only two in the universe who  _existed_...and who  _mattered_...Absolutely _nothing_  and  _no one else_  existed...or mattered for them.

Their heated kisses and euphoria were finally broken by the harsh sound of Josh's ring tone. At first, he thought about ignoring it as he kept kissing her but Maya pulled away after the third ring and smiled teasingly at him. "You should pick it up, Boing. Maybe it's my Daddy and his spies. Alas, they've spotted us," She grinned.

Josh burst out laughing before he glanced at his phone. It wasn't Shawn calling. It was Cory. Wondering _why_ his brother would be calling him at that moment, he immediately answered the call.

"Hey, Cor, what's up?"

"Josh, where are you guys?" Cory's tone sounded urgent.

"Um, we're still at the festival..."Josh answered him. "Is something wrong?"

He could hear Cory clear his throat loudly before he spoke again. "Um, can you guys come  _now_ to Cedar Heights Memorial? The sooner, the better. Ok?"

 _What in the world?!_  Josh thought as he felt his world closing in.

"Wait, why?" He asked, fearing the worst. He felt like he couldn't breathe.

"Just come. We'll tell you when you get here, ok, Brotha?" Cory responded.

"No, Cor, you're gonna fucking tell me now.  _What the hell is going on_?" Josh responded in a panicked tone.

Maya looked  _shocked_ as she gazed at him. He rarely ever swore. At least, not in her presence.

"Um...Josh, just get here, ok..."

" _Oh my God, Cor, just tell me! Otherwise I'm about to fucking explode!"_

Maya looked absolutely terrified. "What's happening?" She asked him.

"I don't know because he doesn't want to fucking tell me anything. COR, talk to me!  _What the hell is happening?!_ " Josh screamed.

A few visitors in the area stared at them curiously when they heard Josh's yell.

"It's Dad...he's having emergency surgery...something's wrong with his heart...he- he collapsed again...that's all we know. Please come...now.  _Please, be-careful, Josh...ok?...on the road_. I didn't want to tell you because I didn't want it to affect your driving. Please get here  _safely with Maya, ok?"_

Josh was numb as he immediately hung up the phone and felt himself sinking to the ground.


	33. Chapter 33

Maya was scared. He was riding _fast. Way too_  fast. Considering it was her first time on a motorcycle, she was  _petrified. But she couldn't say anything._ She merely clutched on to him like her life depended on him- which in this case, it very much did- and said a desperate prayer. _God, please let us be okay...and let Mr. Matthews be okay._

She knew that he feared the worst.  _She_  also did as well. She wasn't surprised by the sudden, tragic turn of events on what was supposed to be the  _happiest_ day of their lives- the day he _finally_  admitted his love for her. Just like a week ago when he asked her to be his girlfriend, Maya was  _blindsided_  by his admission. He had a way of doing that to her.

 _All_ of his affectionate admissions thus far had been  _completely unexpected_. She was _shocked_ when he admitted that he _liked_ her at the ski lodge. She  _hadn't_ seen that coming after months (and years) of his polite rejections. _No one_ could shock and radically change her reality  _quite_  like Joshua Matthews. But even _he_  couldn't compete with the all-powerful forces of  _Life or The Universe._ If Life wanted things to end differently on the happiest day of their young lives, there was  _absolutely nothing_ that she or Joshua Matthews could do about it.

So, no. She _wasn't_ surprised. She  _was_  devastated however, as soon as Josh informed her of his father's precarious condition _._  She immediately realized that this is  _why_  she had lived her young life thus far with a huge wall around her heart and the mantra,  _"hope is for suckers,"_  ever present on her lips. It was for  _terrible_ ,  _unexpected_  moments such as these.

 _But_ , she also couldn't help realizing that the old Maya was  _gone_. She had started disappearing the day she met Riley Matthews, and later on, the rest of her friends who quickly became her _family_. Every moment she shared with them served to chip away - just a little bit- at her wall, until it  _finally collapsed_  the fateful Christmas she met an  _all grown up_  (and incredibly handsome) Joshua Matthews and Shawn Hunter, Cory's enigmatic best friend. That was  _the moment_ she found herself, against her better judgment- _years_  after she had given up on her childhood daydreams of her father's triumphant return into her life and making her family (and her heart) whole again - hoping for _the impossible. Mentally,_ she berated herself for doing so, and was  _immensely annoyed_ at her best friend for her constant efforts to interfere in her life and to keep raising her hopes. But in her  _heart_ , hope was flooding in and knocking down every barrier in its path.

With every rejection or impediment she faced- like when Shawn disappeared  _for months_ after he had first told her he would be there for her...and Josh's incessant  _"she's three years younger than me"_  comments- her newfound hope grew even _stronger. It was strange._ She didn't understand  _why_  she couldn't shake it off no matter  _how much_  she told herself she needed to in order to avoid the inevitable  _heartbreak_. Her daydreams were  _filled_  with the two of them (" _Hey! Boing has nothing to do with this, okay? He's just a fantasy. You don't go out with a fantasy; you only think about him all the time_ "). In her perfect world, the two men would be  _actively present_ in her life. They would help fill the gaping hole that her father's absence had left behind. _Maybe_  that's why she couldn't stop _hoping. Maybe that's why she couldn't rest until what she desired in the deepest recesses of her heart finally came true._

Hope had won the battle for her heart. There was no doubt about that.  _She was a new, hopeful Maya now._  But her walls weren't completely gone. A few bricks remained. Because after all, _Life was unpredictable. It could be cruel. It could be heartless._ Within a matter of seconds, Life had destroyed her momentary happiness, and there was  _absolutely nothing_  she could do about it  _except_  to keep hoping and praying that her boyfriend's father would ultimately be okay.

* * *

Josh whizzed past yet another car in his feverish attempt to make it to the hospital in time. Maya was practically frozen with fear as she held on to him. Everything passed by like a blur.  _God, please don't let us crash,_ she couldn't help praying.

Before long, she heard the blaring sounds of police sirens. They were faint at first but then they got incredibly loud and  _close_. Panicking she turned around and gasped when she noticed a police car  _right behind them!_   _Oh my God,_ she thought.  _We're so screwed._

 _"JOSH_!" She screamed at him. "The  _police_  is after us! You  _have_ to pull over!"

Josh spun around to take a look and muttered a curse word underneath his breath. He immediately slowed down and veered towards the side of the highway where he finally came to a stop. Removing his helmet, he let out a long sigh.

Maya sat quietly behind him and stared at the back of his black, leather jacket with a sick feeling in her stomach. He was  _unraveling_. He was  _panicking. And she had no idea what to do...or say._ He hadn't said a word since he informed her earlier of what Cory told him on the phone before grabbing her hand and running with her to the parking garage. They mounted the motorcycle in silence. And then he sped off at the speed of lightening.

Maya remembered how he almost sunk to the ground right after he ended his heated conversation with Cory. Terrified, she screamed and held on to him, asking if he was okay. He nodded and attempted to compose himself right away, but Maya could feel him  _shaking_  slightly. Her heart  _broke_ to see him so  _distraught...and helpless...yet again because of his father..._

"Hi. License, please?" The police officer asked Josh as soon as he approached them.

Josh immediately took out his driver's license from his wallet and handed it to him. The officer scrutinized the license and Josh for a moment.

"I'll be right back, Mr. Matthews. Stay  _right_ there.  _Don't move._ You understand me?"

Josh nodded. Maya watched warily as the officer headed to his car.

"What's he doing?" She asked Josh in a panicked tone.

"He's checking to see if I have any bad record on my license," Josh explained.

"Oh my God...you don't, right?" She asked, her heart pounding.

Josh shook his head. "No, I'm good. But unfortunately, I'm not licensed to ride a motorcycle so he's gonna see that right away."

"Wait,  _what_?" Maya was shocked. "So you've been riding  _this whole time_  without a license?"

Josh ran his hand through his hair in frustration. "The times that I used to ride...it was usually with Kyle since the bike is his. He has a license...so it wasn't a problem. Also, you don't usually get stopped if you're riding carefully..." He sighed.

Maya took in a deep breath and tried to calm her nerves as she watched the officer slowly approach them again.

"Mr. Matthews, you know why I stopped you?"

Josh nodded. "Speeding," He muttered.

" _Yep_. At the rate you were going, you were  _definitely_  gonna get yourself and  _her_ killed, along with whoever else you were gonna crash into.  _Now_ , there's  _nothing_ on your license or in your records that indicates that you're authorized to ride a motorcycle. Care to explain that?"

"I'm sorry, Officer. I don't own a motorcycle. This is my friend's. He let me borrow it just for the day. We went to Benjamin Franklin Parkway for the festival," Josh stated.

"Well, it looks like an  _awfully terrible way_  to thank your friend for the favor by trying your best to  _crash_ his motorcycle, dontcha think?" The Officer responded with an amused grin. "Not sure if I'll want to be your friend, Mr. Matthews."

"Officer,  _please_...he's usually very careful," Maya boldly spoke up to defend him. "We uh...we just got news that his dad...he's in the hospital...it's an emergency..." Maya's voice trailed off as her eyes filled with tears.

The Officer's amused facial expression changed as soon as he heard that. He quietly studied Maya for a moment before handing Josh back his license.

"I'm sorry to hear about your dad, Mr. Matthews," He told him softly. "But you keep riding  _this fast_  and  _you_  might not make it to see him. What hospital are you heading to?"

"Cedar Heights Memorial," Josh mumbled.

"Ok. You're almost there so I don't wanna see you speeding anymore. You understand me?"

Josh nodded.

"Good. Now, before I let you go, I just wanna make sure you're not driving under the influence. Step down from the bike, please."

Josh quickly obeyed.

"Ok, can you blow hard into this for me?" He placed a preliminary alcohol screening breathalyzer device into Josh's mouth and waited for him to blow hard into it.

"Great, thanks," The Officer said before he quickly checked the results of the alcohol test. "Alright, looks like you're clean, Mr. Matthews, so I'm gonna let this one slide _. But_ , word of advice, if you're gonna keep riding, you  _need_  to get licensed. You keep riding bikes without a proper license, you're gonna find yourself in trouble with the law soon. Ok?"

"Yes, Officer," Josh responded.

"Cedar Heights Memorial is only five minutes from here. Ride  _carefully._ I wish your Dad all the best. Hang in there. You can go now," He smiled sadly at Josh.

"Thanks, Officer," Josh mumbled.

"Sure. Have a good day, Miss," The Officer nodded politely towards Maya.

"Um, thanks Officer. You too," Maya responded shyly with a grateful smile.

Josh waited until the officer drove off before he hopped back on the motorcycle. Maya watched as he grabbed his helmet and started putting it on.

 _"Josh, hold on,"_  She muttered softly. He paused and turned to face her.

"I  _know_  you're scared," Maya stated. "I'm scared too. But it's gonna be okay. We just  _have_  to believe that. I  _never_  pray. I'm not even sure if I believe in it. But I know you do...so I've been praying this _whole time_  for him..." She paused for a moment as she felt tears gathering again. "The way you were riding...it was  _really_   _scary_ Josh. Please slow down, ok?"

Josh gazed at her solemnly for a moment after she finished speaking.

"I'm sorry, Maya," He finally stated. "I...I just...I dunno..." His voice trailed off as he brushed his hand through his hair wearily and stared down helplessly at his helmet.

"You don't have to say anything," Maya retorted as she gazed sadly at him. "I understand...it's ok."

"Thanks, Maya," He whispered. "I'm gonna slow down. We're almost there anyway." He checked his watch. "We should get going," He muttered.

"Ok," Maya nodded. "But before we go-" She reached over and wrapped him in a gentle embrace as she laid her head on his shoulder. Josh was stiff for a few seconds as he hadn't been expecting the sudden, intimate gesture. He soon found himself melting into her as the tension within him slowly dissipated and he felt his heart rate _finally_ start to slow down.

 _"I love you, Boing. It's going to be ok,"_ She whispered soothingly into his ear. Josh felt warm tears in his eyes when he heard her words. He tightened the embrace between them and closed his eyes as he rested his forehead on her shoulder for a few seconds. He took in a deep breath and then slowly let it out before finally releasing her.

"Thanks, Maya," He told her with a warm smile.

"You welcome," Maya responded brightly. "I'm just trying to get on your good side so you don't kill me on the road, Boing. You may be an old man but I'm still young and gorgeous. Just saying," She smiled teasingly at him.

Josh grinned at that comment and shook his head in amusement.

"Ok,  _Ms. Young and Gorgeous_ , I'll do my best to ride responsibly," He retorted.

Maya smiled. " _Awesome_. Let's go then, Old Man Boing."

With a smile on his face and a warm, peaceful feeling trickling through his insides, Josh started the engine and rode towards the hospital.

* * *

Within a few minutes, they pulled up towards Cedar Heights Memorial Hospital.

Josh quickly parked the motorcycle and grabbed his phone. In his shock, he realized that he had forgotten to ask Cory what floor they were on during their initial phone conversation.

"Hello?" Cory answered immediately.

"Hey Cor, we're here. What floor are you guys on?"

"Where are you? Downstairs?"

"We just parked. We're walking towards the hospital entrance."

"Ok,  _stay right there_. Shawn and I are coming to get you."

"Oh- ok...you could just let us know the floor..."

"No, we're coming. See you guys soon," Cory stated.

Josh hung up and felt a  _terrible_ feeling in the pit of his stomach.  _Why would they come down to get us?_  He thought as his heart started to race frantically.

"What's wrong?" Maya asked him anxiously. "What did he say?"

"He said he- and Shawn- are coming to get us...so we should just wait here..."

"Oh ok," Maya murmured. She took in a deep breath. "So, let's just wait, ok?" She gave him a small smile as she gently squeezed his hand. "It's gonna be ok. Alright?" She assured him.

Josh nodded gently and smiled at her.  _He so desperately wanted to believe her...that it was all truly going to be okay._

 _God, please let him be okay,_ he prayed again for what seemed like the millionth time. That had been his  _only prayer_  that evening.

It didn't take long before they saw Cory and Shawn exiting the hospital and heading towards them. Josh couldn't  _quite_ figure out the somber look on their faces and  _exactly_ what it meant in regards to his father's medical condition, but he was determined to find out right away.

"Hey guys," Cory greeted them with a weary smile.

"Hey kid," Shawn greeted Maya. "Come with me for a sec so Cory can talk to Josh alone for a minute? They just need a private brother moment."

"Ok," Maya nodded meekly before turning towards Josh. "I'll see you inside," She told him softly.

"Ok," Josh responded with a soft smile before letting go of her hand.

For a few seconds, Josh watched Shawn and his daughter as they walked towards the hospital- Shawn's arm resting protectively around Maya's shoulders- before he turned towards his older brother.

"What's going on Cor? How is he?" He asked about his father immediately as his heart  _pounded._

Cory took in a deep breath and leaned in to wrap his younger brother in a tight embrace.

 _What the fuck?_ Josh thought angrily as he tried to release himself from the embrace. But it was difficult. Cory was holding on to him with _all his strength._

 _NO._ Josh started to scream in his head.  _There is no way that this is happening..._

_"Cory-"_

_"I'm so sorry, Josh."_

_The dreaded words...I'm so sorry._

Josh felt himself consumed with anger. He tried once again to free himself from his brother's embrace.

 _"Let go of me, Cory,"_ He hissed.

"Josh-"

"LET GO OF ME,  _NOW!_ " He screamed.

Cory immediately released him. Josh glared at his older brother, his blue eyes blazing with fury.

"I don't understand, Cor," He stated. " _What the fuck happened?!_  He was fine."

Cory sighed as he sat down on a nearby bench and rubbed his face with his hands. "I know...that's what we _all_  thought...but...according to the doctors, he got this thing called an  _aortic dissection._ Ever heard of it?"

"No. What the fuck is that?" Josh shot back harshly.

"It's when the aorta in your heart is weak and it tears or separates. You start bleeding internally and...you can die right away...the surgeons did everything they could but, he had already lost too much blood..."

"I still don't get it," Josh retorted. "So, what happened to him yesterday...was that this too?"

"Yeah, the surgeons think the two episodes might be related...They said the aortic dissection probably started happening yesterday but it had only just started so his heart wasn't showing any symptoms which is why the doctors just thought it was because of his dehydration. Between yesterday and today, the tear in his heart got worse. More blood was lost...and by the time we brought him here and they checked- he was already near death. There was little that they could do to save him. It was too late," Cory buried his face in his hands.

 _"I blame myself..."_ He murmured so faintly that Josh barely heard him. "We were _so eager_ to hear some good news yesterday after he just  _passed out_ like that...I didn't even _think_ about pushing them to do  _more tests... or making him stay in the hospital another day...you know?...Fuck."_

Cory sat up straight again on the bench and leaned back as he gazed up helplessly at the evening sky.

Josh felt himself feeling lightheaded and weak. He sat down next to his brother.

"But he was healthy..." He murmured in his desperate attempt to make sense of what was quickly turning out to be  _the worse day of his life._ "He didn't have any health problems. I still don't  _get_ it Cor.  _Why would this happen to him?"_

Cory chuckled dryly as he shook his head at his brother's question. "That's a  _great_ question, my brotha. _I don't have a fucking clue,"_ He muttered bitterly. "Apparently, it can happen to you if you're in your 60s, a man, and have high blood pressure. Dad  _might_  have been healthy but he  _did_ have high blood pressure. He also _hated_  taking any medication and Mom had to fight with him sometimes to even go for his check-ups. I have a feeling at some point he probably stopped taking his blood pressure pills... _but who the fuck knows._.." He sighed again.

 _Oh my God,_ Josh thought helplessly as he buried his face in his hands...He felt  _absolutely_ numb and  _completely_  emotionless except for his  _raging anger, his shock, his immense confusion and an extremely heavy, burning sensation deep down in his gut._

 _"So, that's it...he's just...gone,"_ Josh whispered in a dry tone as he gazed at his brother.

Cory sat still for a moment as he kept staring up at the sky. The sun was just beginning to set. There was an explosion of yellow along with tinges of pink and purplish colors adorning the cloudy sky.

He didn't want to respond to Josh's statement. He wasn't  _ready_  to accept the harsh reality facing him.  _But_ , for the sake of his brother's sanity, he knew that he had no choice  _but_  to respond. After all,  _he_  and Eric, the oldest brother, were the ones _in charge now_ of the family _._ As much as he wanted to shut himself off from everyone and bury himself in his own cocoon of grief, he simply couldn't _afford_  to do that. He had to be strong for everyone else. He had to make sure that everyone around him was _okay_ first.

"Yes, Josh," He muttered hesitantly. "Dad...Dad's gone..." Tears immediately gathered in his eyes. He leaned back down and covered his face with his hands as he sobbed silently.

Josh sat and watched his brother quietly for a few seconds before speaking again.

"Where's Mom?" He asked.

"Everyone is upstairs...on the third floor..."Cory responded after he wiped away his tears.

"Is Dad there too? I need to see him," Josh stated matter-of-factly.

Cory stared at him for a moment in slight shock before answering. "Are you sure? You don't have to see him  _now,_ Josh."

"Yes- I'm sure," Josh stated firmly. "For all I know, you could be fucking with me Cor. So I need to see this for  _myself."_

Cory nodded and stood up. "Ok, come with me," He stated.

Josh followed him silently through the busy hospital lobby, into the elevator and then up onto the third floor. With every step he took towards his father's room, he felt himself feeling increasingly  _lightheaded and weak,_ but he kept moving. He  _had_ to see his father. Otherwise, there was _no way_  he was going to believe  _anything_ that Cory had just told him. It was all utterly ridiculous. After all, had he not seen his father  _just a few hours ago_  at the barbecue that afternoon? He had been fine. He had been cracking jokes. He had been laughing. He even made a joke that one day Josh would inherit all his money since he was his favorite. A couple hours before he left for his date with Maya, he had informed his father about it and also about his baseball game with his  _John Adams_  friends on Sunday. His father had promised him that he would be there just like he always was at _every one_  of his games. And  _now, just like that, he was supposed to believe that his father was gone? Fuck, no. He had to see everything for himself first._

The first family members he saw as he and Cory approached his father's hospital room were Riley, Maya, Katy and Shawn. They were sitting together outside of the room and sobbing quietly. Riley was resting her head on Maya's shoulder. Maya, in turn, was leaning her head on her mother's shoulder for emotional support. Katy held on to her husband's arm. Shawn had his back leaning against the wall as he stared up at the ceiling and occasionally wiped the stray tears trickling from his eyes with his fingers.

Josh felt himself start to panic internally when he saw them. The harsh, cold reality was  _finally_ beginning to set in.

 _"Josh,"_  Maya called out his name softly as soon as she saw him. She quickly got up and walked towards him. _"I'm so sorry,"_ She whispered, her eyes reddened with tears.

"Thanks," Josh simply stated in a stoic tone. He felt himself hyperventilating as his heart pounded rapidly. He walked past Maya and followed Cory into the room.

The first thing he noticed when he walked in was a vase sitting on a table towards the side of the room. It was filled with bright, red roses. They were beautiful but somehow felt _extremely_ out of place.

 _"Joshua,"_  He heard his mother's soft voice calling him. He didn't  _want_  to look at his mother. Somehow, it felt more difficult to look at his mother than to look at his father.

He ignored his mother's call and looked straight ahead at what was supposed to be his father lying on the bed and completely covered with a white sheet.  _There is no fucking way this is Dad_ , he thought vehemently.  _It's gotta be a really messed up, sick prank that they're all playing on me._

He sensed _everyone's_  eyes on him as he stood staring unflinchingly at the white sheet and  _whatever the hell_ was lying underneath it.  _Eric, his Mom, Morgan, Cory, Topanga, Maya and Shawn who had entered the room..._

He ignored them all. He walked straight to the head of the bed and stared down at the white sheet.  _It can't be Dad._ He thought defiantly.  _It just can't be._

He lifted the sheet just enough that it uncovered his father's face.

 _"Oh my God,"_  He cried out as he felt himself sinking to the floor, his face engulfed in tears. Cory immediately caught him and held on to him. He buried his face on his brother's shoulder and started sobbing hysterically as the image of his father's rigid face flashed through his mind.

"I thought it was a joke..." He choked out as his tears shot out of his eyes like a waterfall. "I thought it was a  _fucking_  prank, Cor!" He yelled.

He couldn't help it. He turned back around and stared at his father again.

 _"Dad,"_ He called out as tears ran down his face.  _"Dad?!"_ He called out again. "DAD?!" He screamed out one last time.

Everyone in the room burst into tears as they watched him helplessly.

"Oh my poor baby...come here," His mother muttered, her face soaked with tears as she stood up and pulled Josh into his arms.

"Mom!" Josh cried out in a broken voice as he sobbed in his mother's arms. "Where's Dad?! Why won't he wake up?!" He choked out.

"Oh my baby..." His mother kept murmuring as she held on to him.

Josh couldn't stop crying as his body shook uncontrollably in his mother's arms.  _Where the hell was his Dad? Why wasn't he waking up? Why the hell was he not answering his calls?! This just could not be happening. It was a fucking nightmare that he was going to wake up from at any moment...it just had to be..._

Eric, Morgan and Cory came to join in the embrace as they wrapped themselves around their younger brother and their mother.

Maya buried her face in her father's chest as she broke down sobbing. Shawn's face was drenched in tears as he gazed helplessly at the uncovered face of the man who had become a second father to him from an early age when his biological father had practically abandoned him.  _It was all so terrible. So incredibly terrible and horrific that he had left them all so suddenly...so tragically...like this._

Time passed by slowly as they all wept quietly in their personal dungeons of sadness.

Josh finally released himself from his mother's arms and went and stood by his father's body again. He gazed at it silently for a few seconds before he grabbed the white sheet and covered his face. Then he sat down on the chair where his mother had been seated and laid his head on the bed near his father's lifeless body.  _Daddy,_  he called out to him again in his thoughts as he gazed silently at the white sheet. _Daddy...please wake up._

_There was no answer._


	34. Chapter 34

The week before his father's funeral passed by like a blur. Josh spent most of the time by his mother's side. Focusing on his Mom - making sure she was okay, that she was eating, that she wasn't crying too much- helped him to avoid focusing on himself. He didn't want to be alone with his thoughts and his memories. It was _too painful_. He also had no desire to help with the funeral arrangements. So, he stuck close to his grieving mother and made sure she was taken care of while the rest of his family took care of the funeral preparations.

The only times he was far from his mother's side were the late nights when he couldn't sleep. After spending hours tossing and turning while his nephew, Auggie, snored peacefully beside him, he would get up and go for long, aimless rides in his car. The radio would be blasting with whatever music was on so that he wouldn't succumb to his thoughts...and his pain...in the silence...

The night before the funeral, he couldn't sleep (as usual). He got up and found himself in his treehouse in the backyard. He had started building a little memorial for his father there- right next to the empty cage of his long dead pet hamster,  _Skirtles._

It was strange. He had avoided thinking, talking or reminiscing about his father the whole week. When he heard anyone in the family doing it, he immediately left the room.  _And yet_ , here he was, creating a make-shift memorial in his treehouse. He hadn't  _meant_ to do it. It's just that he had  _so many_  pictures in his room...and he didn't feel like looking at them anymore. So, he transferred some of the pictures to the treehouse and the rest he gave to his mother. She was the only one he didn't avoid no matter how many times she reminisced about his father. He remained faithfully by her side as she flipped through photo albums, cried and shared memories with her children the entire week.

He had found the very first  _Phillies_ Baseball cap his dad bought for him when he was five years old and he went to the stadium for the first time to see a _Phillies_  game with his parents. He brought the cap to the treehouse on the late, warm Friday evening and placed it next to his father's pictures. He gazed at the cap for a few seconds and soon found himself flooded with memories... _he could hear the giddy laughter of the five year old boy perched confidently on his father's shoulders as he glances around excitedly at the large stadium..."WOWW, Daddy- this place is GIGANTIC!"...The boy's father laughs in immense amusement..."Great word, Son! Your mother is doing a great job with your reading and vocab I see, cos you certainly aint getting that from me"...The boy's mother giggles when she hears her husband's comments..."Reading with Mommy is the BEST right, Sweetheart?" She asks her son with a fond smile as she ruffles his soft, brown hair..."Yeah! I love reading with you Mommy!" He exclaims excitedly..."What about Daddy? What do you love doing with me, Sport?"...The boy thinks for a second before he grins widely once he has the answer. "Baseball and ice-cream!" He screams..."That's my boy!" His father yells proudly..."Now, watch this Amy. What do you like best Josh? Baseball and ice-cream with Daddy or reading with Mommy?"..."Oh come on!" The boy's mother protests..."Baseball and ice-cream with Daddy!" The boy wastes no time in answering his father's question...The mother rolls her eyes at her husband but still can't help grinning widely as she gazes fondly at the two silly boys in her life..._

_Damn it! What the hell am I doing?!_ Josh chastised himself as he shook his head forcefully in an attempt to escape his memories. He glanced at the cap one last time before he started descending from the treehouse. His feet had just touched the ground when he heard a familiar voice call out his name.

"Mr. Matthews, how are you doing tonight? Finding it hard to catch some  _Zzzzs_ like your ole Gramps here?" It was Mr. Feeny. He was watering the flowers in his small garden which was adjacent to the Matthews' backyard.

Josh walked towards him and stood on the other side of the low white, picket fence which separated the two backyards from each other.

"Hi, Mr. Feeny," He mumbled shyly with a small smile. It had been a while since he had spoken to his adopted Grandfather and mentor. Unlike his older siblings, Mr. Feeny had never been his teacher. By the time Josh started Junior High at  _John Adams_ , George Feeny had already retired from teaching after a long, storied career as a teacher and later on, a principal, at  _John Adams Junior High,_   _John Adams High School,_ and  _Pennbrook University,_ which is where Cory, Shawn and Topanga attended college. But Josh's childhood was filled with happy memories of running around Mr. Feeny's large house, working with him in his garden, and listening to the old man's amusing stories and wise sayings during the times his parents dropped him off for a few hours at his place. Mr. Feeny had stopped by during the week to give his condolences to Amy and the rest of the family, but Josh hadn't spoken to him.

"Yeah, I can't really sleep at night anymore," Josh admitted to him.

The elderly man gazed at him with a sympathetic look before he poured some more water on his flowers.

"You're not the only one, Joshua," He told him. "I've had issues sleeping ever since I got old, but my insomnia has been a lot  _worse_  this week," He smiled wryly at Josh. " _I miss him terribly_. He was a true friend. I've lost a lot of friends over the years, but  _nothing quite compares to this,_ " He shook his head solemnly and wiped some tears from his eyes with the back of his hand. "Life just  _doesn't make sense sometimes. There's no rhyme or reason for anything._ And the closer  _I_  get to death, you'd think it'd make it easier every time I encounter it..."

He stopped watering his plants and made eye-contact with Josh. "I know you're in _immense_ pain, Mr. Matthews. If I'm in pain, I  _can't imagine_  what  _you're_  going through. You had less time with him than any of your siblings...I'm sure there's not a moment since his loss that that realization hasn't haunted you..."

Josh felt his eyes rapidly getting wet. He tried his best to push his tears away.

"But if this is  _any_  comfort for you, Joshua," Mr. Feeny continued, "please know that your father was a  _great_  man.  _Every man's life ends the same way. It is only the details of how he lived and how he died that distinguish one man from another._ That's a quote from Ernest Hemingway. Your father was one of a kind- and his life  _and_  death will forever be treasured in our hearts. So, grieve, dear boy, but don't  _drown_  in your grief.  _Rejoice_  that even if you had  _so little time_ with him, this senseless life of ours still deemed it fit for him to _be your father- out of all the men in this world! Imagine that. You lucked out boy!_ That in itself is a blessing that you may not necessarily appreciate  _now_ but which you will come to appreciate later on.  _Now,_ I'm going to stop yapping because it looks like we have some company."

"Huh?" Josh muttered in confusion.

"Look behind you, Mr. Matthews. Your Beloved has been patiently waiting for a while now," Mr. Feeny teased him.

Josh turned around and saw Maya standing by the treehouse and watching them. She gave him a shy smile as soon as he made eye-contact with her. She was wearing a pair of loose, pink pajama top and pants with symbols of the Eiffel tower etched on them.

"A good evening to you, Ms. Hunter!" Mr. Feeny called out to her. Maya smiled widely before responding. "Good evening, Mr. Feeny."

"Now, since you're here, let me take this opportunity to embarrass Mr. Matthews, since it is my  _duty_ as his unofficial Grandfather."

Josh gave Mr. Feeny a shocked, wary look.

"A few things you should know about Mr. Matthews before you continue your romantic flirtation with him, Ms. Hunter," Mr. Feeny continued. "He is a bit indecisive, slow,  _irritating_ with his perfectionism, _fiercely loyal,_ especially to friends and family, reclusive when he wants to be, and  _annoyingly_  charming. Personally, if you asked me, I'd say you could do better than yet another Matthews. But unfortunately, you take after your father. He couldn't avoid falling for a Matthews either. A _pity_ , really."

Josh chuckled softly at Mr. Feeny's sarcastic and humorous comment. Maya giggled at his last comment about her father- Shawn- "falling for a Matthews" - which she immediately guessed was a reference to "CorShawn."

"Anyway, a goodnight Mr. Matthews. I'll see you tomorrow- if that is granted me- to _celebrate_  the life of a  _phenomenal_ man. Try to get some sleep. It's going to be a long day for you. Ok?"

Josh nodded. "Ok," He responded. "Thanks Mr. Feeny."

"You're  _always welcome_ , Grandson," Mr. Feeny beamed at him before he went back to his house.

Josh smiled fondly as he watched his "Grandpa" disappear before turning his attention to Maya.

"Hey," He greeted her with their characteristic greeting.

"Hey," Maya responded in kind.

"What brings you here at this late hour of the night, Ms. Lady in Pink?" Josh asked her as he observed her pajamas one more time.

Maya smiled. "Sorry, I couldn't sleep...so I got up to get a glass of water, and then I heard voices..."

Josh smiled warmly at her. "Ok, that's cool. Just me and my Grandpa chatting...the usual...at 1:30am..." He grinned in amusement as he glanced at his watch.

Maya smiled again.

Josh observed her for a few quiet seconds before he spoke again.

"Sorry, Maya. I know I've been kinda MIA this week..."

"No need to apologize, Josh. I totally understand," Maya interjected. "You need your space to process everything...so, that's why I've tried not to bother you either...it's good though cos at least it gave me a chance to really be there for Riles...so, yeah..."

Josh felt a sting of guilt when she mentioned his niece. He had tried to be there for his mother and Auggie the whole week. He hadn't really had the time (or the emotional energy) to also be there for his niece.

"How's she doing?" He asked.

"She's...okay. Tomorrow...she's trying not to think about it..." Maya muttered as she stared down at her fingers. "I think we're _all_  trying not to think about it..." She whispered.

Josh let out a long sigh and ran his hand through his hair.  _"Que sera, sera...it is what it is,"_ He muttered in a dejected tone as he thought of the advice Mr. Feeny had given him:  _Your father was one of a kind- and his life and death will forever be treasured in our hearts. So, grieve, dear boy, but don't drown in your grief._

_Easier said than done..._ Josh thought bitterly.  _Easier said than done._

"Um, we bought you grapes today," Maya told him in a desperate attempt to change the subject.

"Oh, really?" Josh asked.

"Yeah. Topanga, Mom, Morgan and I- we went to get some groceries. Morgan said you really like grapes. I had no clue."

"Yeah, I do," Josh nodded. "Can't just eat one grape- you know what I mean? Gotta eat all of 'em- at once. Best fruit ever."

Maya chuckled. "They  _are_ pretty good," She agreed.

There was an awkward silence between them for a moment as they both thought of what else to say to each other which wouldn't have anything to do with funerals...or death. But Maya could only think of one more thing to say to him...and unfortunately, it had to do with his father's funeral.

"Um, I'm singing tomorrow...I just thought you should know," Maya stated nervously.

"Wait, _what_? At the funeral?" Josh asked her in slight shock.

"Yeah," Maya nodded. "Your Mom asked me to."

This was the first time Josh was hearing of this arrangement. "Oh, ok..." He muttered, not sure of what else to say. "Um, what will you be singing?" He asked curiously.

Maya hesitated before she responded. " _My Girl_ by _The Temptations._ Your Mom said that was their song?"

Josh nodded immediately as he felt a few tears pushing against his eyes and itching to flow. He averted his gaze from her and found himself immersed in his memories. The last time he had watched his parents dance to that song was their Wedding anniversary party last year...It had been their 40th.

_"I'm so sorry, Josh,"_ Maya immediately apologized when she saw his saddened facial expression. "I just thought you should know just in case I popped up tomorrow with a guitar and started singing and then you're like,  _oh wow, what the heck, I was talking to her at like 2am last night and she didn't mention this...also her voice kinda sucks...who's this chick that's ruining my parents' song?...off with her head!_ "

Josh burst out laughing at her humorous rambling.

"Ok, first of, I would  _never_ think that your voice _sucks_ ," He told her passionately. "Like I've always said Maya, you have an  _amazing_ voice. Personally, I think you should do something with it and get super famous and rich...just my opinion."

Maya beamed at him. "Are you  _sure_  that's what you want Boing? Cos once I become a celebrity and the paparazzi are chasing me all over, they're also gonna wanna know who I'm dating. You  _won't_  have a personal life. Just saying."

Josh laughed. " _Rats!_  I didn't think about that," He said.

"Mmhmm...you know what they say, be-careful what you wish for," Maya teased him.

Josh grinned amusedly at her comment. "True," He muttered. "Very true..."

He glanced at his watch again. "Alright, it's getting late Maya. We should try and get some sleep."

"Ok," Maya nodded. "I'm just gonna stay out here for a lil bit...get some fresh air," She told him.

"Ok," Josh responded. "Don't stay up too late. Alright?"

"I won't."

"Ok, goodnight Maya."

"G'night, Josh."

Josh smiled at her one last time before he started walking towards the house.

_"Josh?"_ Maya called out to him when he reached the door.

"Yeah?" Josh responded.

"Um...I love you," She stated nervously as she gazed at him.

Josh was caught off guard for a few seconds by her sincere admission. He stared at her for a moment and observed how her bright, pink pajamas, pink complexion and her blue eyes  _shone_ through the darkness of the night...and the darkness in his heart...

"I love you too," He responded with a warm smile before finally turning away from her to enter his home.


	35. Chapter 35

He sat next to his mother during the funeral. Auggie clutched his arm tightly as he cuddled next to him and laid his head on his shoulder during the entire ceremony. The rest of his siblings and family were all seated in the first two front rows of the church. Everyone else - neighbors, friends, well-wishers and acquaintances- filled the rest of the pews. Most of his close friends from  _John Adams,_ as well as a few of his former teachers, came which made his heart very happy.

It was a short funeral ceremony- and in many ways, he was grateful for that. The sadness of it wasn't stretched out and didn't drag on. Cory was the one who read the eulogy. He gave an emotional personal account of his relationship with his father and how much he had meant to not only him, his wife and his kids but to the rest of the family. Josh had been able to compose himself for the most part as he listened to his brother. But then, Cory started addressing their Mom and that is when Josh couldn't control his emotions anymore.

"Mom, I just want you to know that we love you," Cory spoke with tears in his eyes. "We, your children, we're forever here for you. We could  _never_ love you the way Dad did. No love can ever match the love that Dad had for you and you have for him. We, your children, are heartbroken. You guys were our _role models._ We learned what love was from the love that you and Dad showed each other  _every day during the good and the bad times._ Words cannot express how heartbroken we are that your best friend, your Beloved, your One and Only is gone...so soon..." Tears flowed from Josh's eyes as he held on to his mother who was crying softly. "But our promise is to be here for you- always. To be by your side. To take care of you. Just like Dad did...after all, we are a family. And no matter what happens, we will treasure our dearest father, husband and best friend in our hearts as we continue to love each other from now till eternity. We love you Daddy. We hope to see you one day soon. May you rest in peace."

"Alan..." Amy whispered as she sobbed loudly. Josh leaned in, tears trickling down his cheeks, to give his mother a tight hug. Soon, the rest of the family, led by Cory, also came and embraced each other and Amy as they all wept.

Maya approached Josh, her face soaked with tears, and buried herself in his arms. He held her close for a moment and buried his face in her hair as he wept uncontrollably.

Then came the next part of the ceremony- the most difficult. The casket was opened, and everyone who wanted to, lined up to pay their respects to Alan Matthews- one last time. Josh sat as the rest of his family and the attendees at the funeral slowly walked up to his father's body and said their final goodbye.

He wasn't going to do it.  _There was no way he was going to say goodbye. Saying goodbye meant it was all over. It meant that his father would be forever gone. It meant that it was the absolute end. There was no way in hell that he was going to acknowledge that...not now...not ever probably..._

After almost everyone, except for him and Auggie, had gone up, the casket was closed, and Maya walked up to the podium holding a guitar. Her facial expression was somber, and her face was streaked with her tears.

She cleared her throat as she quickly tuned her guitar. Before she started singing, she made eye-contact with Josh. He could see the sadness and fear in her eyes. Josh gave her an encouraging nod and a reassuring smile. He was eager to hear her sing his parents' favorite song.

Maya strummed the opening notes of the song on her guitar before she started singing in a deep, slow, soothing voice:

_I've got sunshine on a cloudy day_  
When it's cold outside I've got the month of May  
Well I guess you'd say  
What can make me feel this way?  
My girl (my girl, my girl)  
Talkin' 'bout my girl (my girl)

_I've got so much honey the bees envy me_  
I've got a sweeter song than the birds in the trees  
Well I guess you'd say  
What can make me feel this way?  
My girl (my girl, my girl)  
Talkin' 'bout my girl (my girl ooh)

_Well I guess you'd say_  
What can make me feel this way?  
My girl (my girl, my girl)  
Talkin' 'bout my girl (my girl)

There wasn't a dry eye in the church as Maya crooned the classic tune. Josh allowed his tears to flow freely as he placed his arm around his mother and comforted her. There was a solemn silence after Maya finished singing, got up and went back to sit next to Riley and her parents.

The ceremony finally concluded with a closing prayer by Pastor Johnson and a slow procession of the casket to the burial site which was a five minute walking distance from the church.

As his father's casket was laid in the large hole in the ground that had been dug up specifically for the occasion, Josh suddenly felt faint. He couldn't take his eyes away from the inscription on the large tombstone which had been set up above his father's grave:

_Alan Matthews_

_Beloved Husband, Father & Friend_

_April 03, 1952 - July 02, 2016_

_We Love You Forever_

_Rest In Peace_

"Eternal rest grant unto him oh Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him," Pastor Johnson prayed. "May his soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace, Amen."

Topanga and Katy led Auggie, Riley and Maya to the tomb so that the three grandchildren could drop small bouquets of roses onto the casket and say their goodbyes before the burial.

Before he knew it, it was all over. His father's casket was all covered up. He still didn't say goodbye. His  _Adams_ friends came up to him and gave him a comforting hug. Anna also came. With tears in her eyes, she gave him a tight hug and told him how sorry she was.

"If you ever need to talk, I'll be around Josh," She told him with a warm smile before she left with the rest of his friends.

When they all went home that evening, none of them felt like doing or saying anything much. So they all sat in the living room and comforted each other. Both Mr. Feeny and Pastor Johnson were present. When Pastor Johnson finally got up and said his goodbye, Josh got up from his mother's side and immediately followed him.

"Um, I need to ask you about something, Pastor," Josh told him once they were outside the house.

"Sure, Joshua. What is it?" Pastor Johnson responded.

"Why didn't God save him?" Josh asked straightforwardly. "I mean...he came to church like most of the time with my Mom. He prayed. He taught  _us_  to pray. He believed in God...and in Jesus...I don't understand. It's not fair...why didn't God _save_  him? He's all-powerful right? Why did he just...let him die? I mean...is He even real? Because I'm not even sure I  _believe_  in Him anymore."

Josh felt his anger growing with every word he spoke. He glared at the Pastor after he finished speaking and waited to hear his explanation.

Pastor Johnson let out a long sigh and thought for a moment before he responded. "I'm really sorry Joshua. I don't really have an answer to your question. I don't know  _why_ God didn't save your father. I don't know why any of this happened _..._ What I  _do_  know is that God  _does_  exist and He loves your father very much. I believe that your father is with Him now and one day, hopefully, we will see your father again...I know that even  _now_ , as we grieve, God is with us, and  _He too_ is grieving with us, like the loving Father He is. He _knows how painful death is because of the death of Jesus, His Son._ He loves _you_ Joshua, and believe me, He cares  _a lot_  about the pain you're going through right now. I know it's hard to keep believing in God when things like this happen. I've been in that situation myself. But don't give up on God just yet. Because He  _never_  gives up on you. Ok, Joshua?"

Josh nodded solemnly. He wasn't sure if he was ever going to stop being angry at God for the way in which He let his father die. But he was glad that he had been bold enough to ask Pastor Johnson some of the questions that had been plaguing him ever since the tragedy.

"I'll keep you in my prayers, Joshua," Pastor Johnson told him before giving him a hug. "Hopefully, I'll see you and your Mom at church?"

Josh nodded. "If my Mom comes, then I'll come with her."

"Ok,  _great_. Bye Joshua. God bless you, Son."

"Bye Pastor Johnson," He said.

* * *

Later on that night, he couldn't sleep as usual. He got up and went to the kitchen to grab a bottle of water. That's when he heard Cory's voice emanating from the backyard which was adjacent to the kitchen. He stood silently and listened to his brother.

"She can't live here by herself. The house is too big for one person to manage...and the store. She's gonna need help with it..." Cory said.

"Well, she's not gonna want to move, Cor. I mean...this is  _our_  home..." Eric protested. "There's no way Mom's gonna wanna leave here and come to New York. You know?"

"I see what you're saying Eric, but we're gonna have to convince her," Shawn chimed in. "Cory is right. It's gonna be a struggle- her living here by herself. It will be too lonely for her. And she also can't handle the store by herself. Luckily, Cor and I are both in New York. She will have company when she comes there. She can play with her grandchildren. She won't be alone. We will finish paying off the house mortgage when we sell the store and the house will still be a Matthews home. Your Mom can stop by and stay here any time she wants, and we can all come for family reunions at any time...but her staying here by herself...that's just not a great solution."

Eric sighed. "I dunno...I guess we can  _try_ and convince her...but it's gonna be hard for her. I mean she's lived here for so many years...living in New York will be a tough adjustment for her. It just sucks that  _none of us can really leave our lives right now and come stay here with her._  You know?"

"I can," Josh spoke up as he opened the backyard door and faced the three of them.

Cory, Eric and Shawn looked shocked as they stared at him in confusion.

"Josh, what are you talking about?" Cory asked him.

"I heard everything you guys were saying," Josh stated calmly. "You're thinking about convincing Mom to leave here and come to New York. And I think that's a  _terrible_  idea. And I also think it's rather unfortunate that  _none of you bothered to include me in this conversation._ I know that I'm a lot younger than you guys are so you all still see me as a lil kid. But guess what? Last time I checked, I'm a legal adult now. So next time you guys are thinking about radically changing  _my mother's life, it would be nice to have a seat at the table._ " He was  _absolutely furious_  that they would even think about having such an important conversation without including him. He had been treated like a child  _his whole life,_  and he had finally had enough.

"Josh, please calm down. It wasn't our intention to not include you in this conversation," Cory explained. "It just so happened that Shawn, Eric and I were still awake, so we just got to talking that's all."

"Spare me the bullshit, Cor," Josh fired back angrily. "But it's alright. I don't really wanna argue about this anymore. The point  _I_ was trying to make is that Mom's not going _anywhere. This is her home. This is our family house._ There's no reason why she needs to leave here and come to New York. If we need someone to stay with her here,  _I_ can do that. I'll also help with the store. That way, we don't even need to close the store. It's really that simple."

"What about NYU, Baby Matthews? You still got three years of college left remember?" Shawn asked him.

" _Great question_ , Shawn," Josh answered. "I'll have to transfer from NYU to a local college here, obviously. But that's okay. If it means making sure Mom stays where she wants to stay- and I'm pretty sure she would prefer to stay  _here_ , I'll do anything."

"Josh, that's a _huge_ sacrifice," Cory protested.

"It's also completely unnecessary," Shawn argued. "Your Mom will like New York, Baby Matthews. And we're not getting rid of the house. Just the store. So, it's  _really_ not as bad as you're thinking."

"I'm sorry, but maybe I might have misheard earlier," Josh retorted passionately. "Weren't you guys saying that the ideal situation would be that Mom stays here?! But the only problem is that none of you guys can afford to leave your current lives to stay by her side? _Well guess what?_  I don't have that problem. Last time I checked,  _I'm not a senator and I'm also not married with a family._ I'm not tied to anyone or anything. I can also go to college  _anywhere! So, problem solved. I'll leave NYU._ I'll go to college here. I'm not gonna board. I'm gonna be a commuter- and I'll help Mom. I thought you guys will be happy about this?!"

Cory, Shawn and Eric glanced at each other uneasily before turning their attention back to Josh.

"Mom and Dad were very proud of you when you got into NYU with a full scholarship, Josh. I don't think Mom would want you to sacrifice that opportunity. It's really not necessary, my brotha," Cory told him.

"I don't give a damn about my opportunity at NYU, Cor. I just want Mom to be happy and stable. Her whole _life_  has changed drastically cos of Dad's death. There's no way in hell I'm gonna allow you guys to change her life  _yet again. Not if I have anything to say about it._ "

" _Joshie,_ are you sure this is what you want?" Eric stated. "This is a huge decision you're making. And it's gonna drastically change  _your_  life. NYU is a  _great_  school. It would have opened a lot of doors for you in the future. _None_ of us got the opportunity to go to a school like that. So, I'm sorry, but I don't think we're gonna let you do this."

"Well, that's too bad Eric, because last time I checked- like I said earlier- I'm a  _legal adult_. You guys  _can't force me to do anything anymore_. I've made up my mind. I'm leaving NYU and I'm going to stay here. Take it or leave it. But  _that's my decision_ , and it's _final,"_ Josh shot back angrily at his brother. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna leave so you can continue your private grown-up convo without me since I don't really count, right?" He stated bitterly before he turned to walk away.

_"What about Maya?!"_  Shawn yelled out.

Josh stopped walking and turned back around. "What about her?" He asked in confusion.

"You're planning to leave New York, Josh, and move back here, permanently," Shawn retorted. "Not sure if you've forgotten but my daughter _lives_  in New York. And last time I checked, you two have made your relationship official. So, what about her? Did you think about her before making this decision  _which you don't even have to make? Because it's going to affect her Josh. Big time. So, I'm gonna ask you again, for the third time, what the hell happens to my daughter once you leave New York?"_

"Shawn, calm down," Cory told his friend.

"No, Cor. For once, your brother needs to know that there are consequences for every impulsive choice or decision he makes whenever he feels the hell like it. Somebody's gotta tell him. He's a bit spoiled in my opinion. He has this kind of privileged chip on his shoulder that things will all work out his way. Well guess what? Life doesn't work like that, Baby Matthews," Shawn shot back at Josh.

Josh was fuming. "Maya and I will be fine, Shawn. We'll figure something out," He simply stated.

" _Oh really_? And what will that  _something_  be, Joshua? I'm _dying t_ o know," Shawn retorted sarcastically.

"I dunno yet..."Josh mumbled. In his eagerness to prove to them that  _he_  too was worthy of consideration as an  _adult man_  in the family whose opinions and decisions should be respected as such, he hadn't really thought about his relationship with Maya and how his rash decision to leave NYU for good would ultimately affect it...or how Maya would feel about it once he told her.

"Now listen to me Josh," Shawn finally stated with an extremely serious look on his face. "I like you. I think you're a great kid...pardon me...great legal _adult..._ since apparently, we're forbidden from ever calling you a kid anymore...anyway, I digress. Like I said, I like you, despite all the frustrations and headaches that  _your impulsive actions_ have caused me these past few months. But see, here's the bottomline. I may like you- but I like my daughter  _much more. And like any father, I want her to be happy more than anything else in this world._ Now, I've tried to sit back patiently and observe your little relationship with my daughter so far. First you started off by saying you were gonna play the long game and just be friends, and then for whatever reason, you changed your mind and asked her to be your girlfriend. I was  _pissed_ because you didn't ask me for my permission or input but eventually, thanks to your Dad, I made peace with it. And  _now, just when it seems like everything's settled and you guys are boyfriend, girlfriend and it's all well and good, you've decided, on your own, without anyone forcing you, to change it up for my daughter, yet again._ Now you're a smart boy, Josh. So, figure it out.  _How the hell do you think Maya is gonna feel once you leave New York? She has a boyfriend, but now he's nowhere to be found. So, what's it gonna be now? You're gonna come to me and tell me you now wanna pursue a long-distance relationship with a 15-year-old in high school?! You're gonna go to Maya and tell her that you're really sorry, and you really care about her, but yeah, you just can't physically be there for her for the next three years?! How the hell do you think she's gonna feel Josh?! ESPECIALLY, when you don't even have to do this?!"_ Shawn was screaming.

"Shawn, please calm down. You're gonna wake everyone up," Cory muttered.

"You're being  _selfish_ , Josh. That's exactly what you're being. And I won't have it anymore," Shawn stated angrily. "I'm not gonna  _let_ you turn Maya's life upside down  _yet again_  for your own selfish needs and interests. It's really that simple. So, I'm gonna give you an ultimatum. Either you break up with my daughter  _completely_ and move here permanently like you seem hell-bent on doing OR you stay in New York and finish your education at NYU like  _we all want you to do. You can't have it both ways Josh. She's fifteen for goodness sakes. The only drama in her life should be the two hot crushes she has in Science class and how she can't decide who she likes more. Not the roller coaster, impulsive relationship that you seem bound on putting her through._  I get that your Dad died, kid, and you wanna be there for your Mom. But your Mom is not asking you to leave NYU.  _Nobody_  is asking you to leave New York. So, if you're still hellbent on doing whatever the hell you want, then you can't have it both ways.  _Period_. I won't allow it. So, what's it gonna be, Baby Matthews? You're gonna stay in NYU and still date my daughter with  _my permission and supervision,_ or you're gonna move back here for good and  _let her go_  so that  _for once in her life_ , she can have  _a stable life and a stable relationship?_  The choice is yours, Josh. Choose wisely."


	36. Chapter 36

"I care  _a lot_ about Maya, Shawn," Josh stated passionately. "No matter what happens- I'm  _not_ losing her. That's just  _not_ gonna happen."

"Oh  _really?_ " Shawn retorted in an angry, threatening tone. " _Watch_ me, Mr. Legal Adult. Cos last time I checked,  _you_  weren't the one who filed her adoption papers. And last time I checked, she's  _still_ underage! So, if you're  _so_   _grown-up_ now that you're  _actually_  gonna defy  _my_  authority when it comes to Maya, then prepare to face my  _not-so-fun side_  Baby Matthews.  _Trust me,_ you do  _not_ want things to go that far. You can ask your brother all about that," He warned him.

"Ok, I think that's enough," Cory stated nervously. "Tensions are getting  _way_  too high right now. I say we drop this and address it tomorrow when we're  _all_ well-rested and calmer. Wadja think guys?" He glanced back and forth between Shawn and Josh with a terrified look on his face.

" _Eric, help me!_ " He hissed. "Do something  _stupid_  that distracts them!"

"Nahh," Eric muttered. " _Are you kidding, Cor?_  Shawny the Hunter vs. Lil Hormonal Joshie? I'm  _so_  here for this. All I need is some popcorn," He grinned excitedly before quickly turning his attention back to the heated argument unfolding before him.

"Like I said, I care about Maya," Josh responded. "And the  _last_ thing I'd ever want is for us to break up  _or_ to overstep your authority Shawn. I'm sorry if I came across that way. But if you're gonna  _force_ this ultimatum on me, then  _obviously_ , I will have no choice but to choose my Mom  _if_  she decides to stay here. I'm not leaving her, Shawn."

"You  _idiot!"_ Shawn shot back at him furiously. " _Nobody_ is asking you to abandon your mother, Josh! If she comes to New York, you will be with her!  _That's_ what Cor, Eric and I are proposing! So, if you  _like_  my daughter as much as you  _say_ you do, you'd  _join_ us in our plan to convince your Mom to come to New York instead of acting like a spoiled brat!  _How are you not understanding this_?!" Shawn was beyond frustrated.

"Her  _whole life_ is here, Shawn!" Josh retorted heatedly. "I just spoke to Pastor Johnson this evening. He asked me if I'm gonna be coming to church with Mom!  _This_ is her home. Her  _friends_ are here! Mom's  _never_ been a city person. And I'm surprised Cor and Eric are going along with this because they should  _know_ better! If she chooses New York-  _cool._   _That would be great._ But if she chooses here, then I'm  _staying_  with her. I'm  _not_ losing any more time with her. There's no  _freaking_  way I'm just gonna go back to NYU like everything's just  _fine_. You guys had a  _lot more_ time with Dad so  _of course_ you wouldn't understand!" He had to turn away from them for a moment as he felt his tears rushing to come out.

There was a solemn silence for a few seconds as Josh struggled to hold back his tears. Cory immediately got up and approached his brother.

" _Josh, I'm so sorry_. It makes sense now why you feel so strongly about this," He muttered as he gently pulled his younger brother into his arms. Josh sobbed quietly for a moment before disentangling himself from Cory.

"I just want Mom to be happy, Cor," He muttered as he wiped away his tears. "And... _I don't wanna lose her..._ " He whispered.

"I think we can all agree on that, Baby Matthews," Shawn stated softly. "So, let's see what  _she_  says. You brought up some good points. We're not gonna try to convince her to do what  _we_ think is best anymore. But I'm sorry to say that my ultimatum still stands. Because my daughter  _deserves_  to be happy too. And a long-distance relationship, while she's in high school,  _doesn't_  sound like happiness to me. Long distance  _sucks_ when you're an adult and you actually know  _what the hell_  you're doing in a relationship. So, imagine if you're in high school! If you got out of your head just a lil bit and put yourself in  _Maya's_  shoes, Baby Matthews, I think you'd see where  _I'm_ coming from. But all of this is pointless until we find out  _exactly_  what your Mom wants to do. So, Cor is right. Let's end this convo for now."

" _Awesome!"_ Cory yelled out with a wide, goofy grin. "How about we all hug it out?! Eh? Come on  _brothas_!"

Right in that moment, Maya walked into the backyard and faced the three of them. There was a deafening silence as they all stared at her in shock for a moment before Eric screamed.

" _WOAH!_ Where did  _she_  come from?!" He yelled out in alarm.

"There's no need for an ultimatum, Dad. I've already made my decision," Maya announced calmly.

She was wearing the same pink pajamas that Josh had seen her in the night before. She had a few tears in her eyes and a serious expression on her face as she gazed intently at Josh.

" _Maya_ ," Shawn started to speak.

"Can you guys give Josh and I a moment please?" She asked.

"Oh  _shucks_! WHY? The drama's just getting good!" Eric protested loudly.

They all stared at him in disbelief.

" _What?_ It's been a  _sucky_  week, ok? Don't  _judge_  me for being messed up. Geez," He muttered sassily before he got up and walked back into the house.

"Hey, kid, not sure how much you heard, but  _no decisions_  have been made yet, ok? We still need to talk to Amy," Shawn told Maya softly.

"And I need to talk to Josh. Can we get a few minutes alone, please?" Maya asked again.

Josh's heart pounded in fear as he stood there silently and watched her.

"Sure. Cory and I will be right inside if you need us," Shawn assured her with a warm (and nervous) smile before he and Cory quickly exited.

Josh cleared his throat loudly before speaking.

" _Maya_ , I don't know how much of our convo you heard, but I just want you to know that I plan to be with you no matter  _what happens_. So, yeah, that's where I stand on that."

Maya took a deep breath and ran her hand slowly through her hair.

"I heard  _enough_ , Josh," She muttered softly. "I told you before that I'd  _never_ want to be the  _one_ person stopping you from doing what  _you_  want.  _Whatever_ it is. Whether if it's getting back together with your ex...or staying here with your Mom."

" _What_?!" Josh was befuddled. " _My God_ , Maya, for the  _millionth_  time, I'm  _not_ getting back together with my ex! We've  _had_ this discussion before-"

"I know. I just mentioned that as an example," Maya retorted. She sighed sadly before continuing her train of thought.

"Look, I get it, Josh. You just  _lost_  your Dad, so  _suddenly_... _just like that._ I can't even imagine..." Her voice trailed off as her eyes filled with fresh tears. "I mean, I lost my Dad but at least, I _always_   _knew_  he was  _alive,_ you know? He just didn't want me...so, I just tried to  _convince_  myself that  _maybe_  he'll come back one day- like a knight in  _shining_ armor- and we would be a  _happy_ family again -  _me, him and my Mom_. He just needed some time, that's all... _a little break_."

Josh felt his heart breaking as he watched a tear slowly trickle down her cheek. She quickly wiped it away before she continued speaking.

"It wasn't until I got older, that I  _knew_  I  _had_ to get smart and stop being so  _dumb._ And so I told myself... _he's not coming back, Maya...you've gotta let this go. It's just never gonna happen no matter how badly you want it, or how many birthday wishes you make, or how many prayers you say..."_

She paused for a moment as she recalled her painful childhood memories.

"The day I gave up hoping for my father tocome back is the day I stopped believing in  _everything_ ," She gazed intently at Josh as she said this. "I told myself that I had to just  _take care_ of myself- you know. I had to be  _strong. Hope was for suckers..._ It was for people like Riley Matthews who deserved  _all the hope and beauty and happiness in this world._ But it couldn't  _possibly_ be for me. So, I just told myself that...and I taught myself  _never_ to expect  _anything_  from anybody. _.._ "

Maya paused for a moment as she thought carefully about what she was going to say next to her boyfriend.

"This  _whole_  week..." She said softly. "The  _pain_ you must be feeling...what do I  _say_  to you, Josh? How can I even help to make you  _feel better?_ The  _only_ thing that will like fix  _this nightmare_  is if your Dad came back. But that's  _never_ gonna happen..." Maya sniffed as she wiped away some more tears.

Josh had started sobbing as well as he stood there quietly and listened to her.

"I'm not surprised that you chose your Mom," Maya continued in a soft, low, broken voice. " _You're afraid of losing her like you lost your Dad_. So, it's like you  _need_  to be with her  _all the time_.. _.wherever_  she is, so you can  _protect_  her...so you can make sure that  _she_ also doesn't leave you..."Maya shut her eyes tightly as the memories of her childhood inundated her.

" _I_ can't make  _anything_ better for you, Josh. I mean,  _how the hell_  will I be able to do that?!" She exclaimed as fresh tears started trickling down her cheeks. "To be honest with you,  _all_ I could think  _about_  this week was the  _date_ that we never got to finish...the movies that we never got to see in your tree-house...the kisses that..." Maya shook her head slowly as she gazed sadly at him. "But  _none_ of that is gonna make you  _feel_ any better, is it?  _None o' that_ is gonna bring your dad back..."

Josh broke down sobbing at her words as he covered his face with his hand for a moment.

Maya took a deep breath before she said her final words.

_"I'm letting you go, Josh,"_  She muttered softly as tears fell from her eyes like raindrops.

Josh felt like he had been dunked in ice-cold water as he gazed at her in shock and struggled to comprehend  _exactly what_  she was trying to say.

" _Hope is for suckers._ I've  _always_  known that," Maya continued. "So, as hard as this is for me...it's alsonot  _that hard_ , actually. After all, we've only been together for like what?  _Two weeks_?" She chuckled bitterly. "You know, it's funny. In a lot of ways, I feel like I had been preparing myself for this moment. For when  _everything_  will come  _crashing_  down.. _._ I just  _never_ thought it would be like  _this_ though...I  _never_ thought...your Dad..." Maya shook her head sadly as more tears fell.

"I don't _want_  you and Shawn  _fighting_  anymore, Josh," She stated firmly as she gazed at him. "There's  _no need_  for an ultimatum. I'll  _never_  stand in your way for wanting to be there for your Mom. What I  _am_  going to do is to step back so that you can be there for her. And  _please_ don't worry about me or  _try_ to change my mind, cos I'm gonna be fine. Don't forget, I don't  _believe_  in fairy tales anymore. So...it's  _all good._ There's no such thing as a  _happily ever after._..so, yeah," She shrugged as she gave Josh a wry smile. "The  _one person_ who deserves  _that_ is your niece. I'll do  _anything_ to make sure  _she_ gets that. Ranger Rick better  _watch out..._ " She muttered as she slowly wiped her tears away.

Josh felt himself shaking as he struggled to find his voice after her utterly shocking statement. His heart racing in panic and  _fear,_ he finally managed to speak.

"Maya...it's not what you think...at all," He stated. "Look, maybe, you didn't hear me right. Yes, I wanna be there for my Mom but that  _doesn't_  mean that I don't want us to be together. I mean, if my Mom comes to New York, then cool- it's all good, right? But if she stays  _here_ , we can still figure it out. I mean, Shawn's just mad right now. That's why he said all of that. I'll talk to him. He  _won't_ make us break up. Trust me, I'll take care of it. Ok?"

Maya scoffed as she stared at him incredulously. "Here's one thing you need to know about me, Josh," She told him with a fiery look in her eyes that Josh had seen several times before in highly emotional moments between them. "If it's time to jump, I jump.I don't  _stand_ there and think-  _oh, maybe,_ I don't  _need_ to jump... _maybe_ , things will get better... _maybe_ someone will come and  _save_ me...I don't do that. It's a no-win situation, Josh. Your dad's gone...your Mom is alone... _you_ want her to stay here and you want to be with her...she'll probably want to stay here too cos  _why not? This is her home._..Shawn's  _not_ gonna back down because he's had  _enough_ of our drama...and I  _hate_ you two  _fighting_...I just, I  _can't handle_  that... _and_ I'm not even  _sure_ I wanna do  _long distance,_  Josh...I mean...you're not gonna be around for  _three years!_ "

"Maya,  _please...just_..don't do this," Josh pleaded with her desperately. "We don't even  _know_  what Mom  _wants_ yet...so, can we please hold off on this for now?"

Maya shook her head slowly as she started backing away from him. "I  _can't_  stop you from wanting what you wan't, Josh," She muttered in a resolute tone. "But I  _can_ get out of your way. I can make it  _easier_...it's  _ok_ , really..." She bit her lip. "Like you  _always_ say,  _it is what it is_..." She chuckled humorlessly. "Hey, it won't be the first time things didn't work out, and it's  _probably_ not gonna be the last!" She shrugged.

"Maya, please-"

" _Goodnight, Josh._  I don't have anything else to say so...I'm gonna go now."

"Maya, wait..." Josh started walking towards her. "Let's talk about this some more."

She immediately turned around and started running past Shawn and Cory towards her room.

"Maya!" His heart  _pounding_  so hard he was  _convinced_  he was going to have a heart attack, Josh impulsively took off after her.

" _Nope! Not happening!"_ Shawn stated firmly as he grabbed the back of Josh's shirt and stopped him in his tracks.

" _What the-"_ Josh muttered as he came to a screeching halt and almost toppled over onto the kitchen floor. " _Let go off me, Shawn! I have to talk to her!"_ He yelled out angrily.

" _Not tonight!_ " Shawn hissed at him. "It's like 1am for goodness sakes! What are you gonna do? Barge into the room and wake up  _both_ Morgan and Riley?!  _Tomorrow_ \- Baby Matthews- when she's  _calmer_.  _That's_  when you try talking to her,  _after_ I've spoken with her. You hear me?! Not  _before_ I've spoken with her, but  _after_...I'll let you know as soon as I'm done so you can jump in. Alright?"

"Shawn, please," Josh muttered. "You've  _gotta_ help me out. She's convinced that you really  _are_ going to break us up...so it's like...she's trying to do it first..."

"No. That's not the reason," Shawn retorted. "She's  _trying_ to protect herself from  _heartbreak..._ although, depending on how much you  _care_ about someone, it can be  _extremely hard_ to protect yourself from that. But that's  _exactly_ what she's trying to do because she's not  _stupid._ She  _heard_ you make a choice, Josh. When you had to choose between her and your Mom, she  _heard_ you choose your Mom."

" _But-"_

"Let me finish," Shawn stopped him. "She  _understands_ that decision. And she's smart enough to also know that you can't have it  _both_  ways like you  _seem convinced_ you'll be able to do."

"We can make it work, Shawn! I  _know_  we can! We can  _try!"_ Josh stated passionately.

Shawn shook his head slowly at him in disbelief. "And there lies the problem, Baby Matthews...see, unlike you, Maya's  _not naive_ when it comes to relationships. It's funny, because  _you_ should be the mature one here considering this is not your first. But in a way, it  _does_  make sense precisely  _because_ of what she's been through. She's been  _burned_ before Josh!  _By the first man in her life who she fell in love with! Her father!_ Do you have  _any_ idea how that can screw a young girl up?! Again, Josh, you need to get out of your head. You need to  _calm_  down, take a moment, and put yourself in  _her_ shoes.  _Try_ to understand where she's coming from  _before_  trying to convince her to change her mind. Just a thought.  _Anyways,_ it's late. I've talked too much.  _Go to bed, Baby Matthews._ We'll continue this tomorrow. Cor? Got anything to add?"

"Give her some time, Josh," Cory stated softly. "You can't force her.  _Not_ on an issue like this. Let's find out what Mom wants and then you can try talking to her again, ok?"

Josh nodded. "Ok," He muttered bitterly as he ran his hand through his hair in frustration.

_It will be okay_ , he told himself as he stood in front of Morgan's door and contemplated for a minute whether to enter...  _and wrap her in his arms...and never let her go..._

It just  _had_ to be okay. After all, how much  _loss_ could he  _possibly_ take in  _one week? Hell, no_.  _No matter what happened, it was going to be okay. He would make sure of it._


	37. Chapter 37

Shawn knocked on his daughter's door. He was  _exhausted_ physically and emotionally. He had barely gotten any sleep the night before.

All of the events earlier that night (and week) weighed heavily on his mind and heart as he lay still next to Cory and ruminated. He kept seeing Maya's tear-streaked face as she ran away from the boy whom she had boldly declared her love for  _just a few months before_  during Josh's birthday dinner a few days after Valentine's Day. In addition, he  _also_  couldn't get the poor boy's tear-streaked, panicked face from his thoughts. As much as he had been infuriated by Josh's seemingly selfish and arrogant attitude earlier that night, he couldn't help feeling heartbroken for him.

Shawn  _knew_ what it was like to lose a father at such a young, vulnerable age when a young man needed the presence and guidance of his father the most. His biological father- Chet Hunter- who was barely ever around- died, tragically, when Shawn was in college. Just as Chet seemed to be getting his life back on track and had started spending more time with his two sons- Shawn, and his half-brother, Jack Hunter- he suffered a massive heart attack and passed away. Shawn was devastated.

He had grown up convincing himself that his life was  _perfectly fine_ without his father. It wasn't until Chet came back into his life during his college years and started spending some  _actual,_ quality time with him, that Shawn realized  _how much_ he had missed his father's presence in his life. For several years in Shawn's turbulent teenage years, Alan Matthews and Jonathan Turner, his "cool," high-school English teacher at John Adams, did their best to play the empty role of stable, father figure in his life. And he  _loved_  both men dearly for the sacrifices  _and love_ that they showed him even during the times when he was rebellious and hostile towards their authority. If it wasn't for those two men, his life would  _definitely_ have turned out  _very differently_. But as  _phenomenal_ as Alan and Mr. Turner were, they could never replace his biological father. Nor did they ever try to. It took Shawn a  _long_ time to recover, to find himself and to heal after Chet's sudden, tragic death.

When Shawn saw what happened to Alan and the way Josh reacted to his father's death, it was  _de ja vu_ all over again. He was  _consumed_ with pain at losing yet  _another father_ in the  _same, sudden, cruel way._ And he was  _distraught_ when he saw Josh's reaction. In that moment, Josh reminded him of himself...and  _all_ he wanted to do in that hospital room was to take the poor boy's pain away and bring his father back. But unfortunately, that wasn't possible.

Shawn couldn't bring Josh's father back, but he _could_  help the teenager salvage his fragile relationship with his daughter. He had been  _furious_  when he issued Josh the ultimatum earlier that night. He wanted to teach the  _extremely privileged_ teenager an important lesson on not always getting  _everything_  he wanted the  _way_ he wanted it. Shawn also  _still_  had some lingering doubts about the genuineness of Josh's feelings for his daughter. He simply wasn't sure just  _how much_  of the boy's supposedly strong feelings for his daughter was due to his raging hormones and how much was  _actually sincere and mature._ The fact that Josh kept changing the status of their relationship whenever he felt like it was  _extremely concerning_ for Shawn. So, despite the recent peace he had made with their relationship due to Alan's intervention, Shawn still felt quite wary and concerned about the whole situation.

However, Josh's reaction to their unexpected break-up that night finally quelled Shawn's lingering doubts about the boy's feelings for Maya. Shawn was slightly surprised to see the immense  _brokenness, devastation_ and  _desperation_ on the boy's face as he chased after Maya and anxiously begged Shawn for help in saving the relationship. The boy's reaction reminded Shawn of  _Cory's_  reaction- _many years ago_ \- when Topanga broke up with him after finding out that Cory had "allowed himself to be kissed" by another girl (Lauren) during their annual, class ski lodge trip. Back then, Cory did  _everything_ in his power to save his relationship with Topanga. It  _hadn't_ been easy and there were times where Shawn feared the  _absolute worst_ , but Topanga eventually forgave Cory and the two reunited. Shawn saw  _the same, broken look_  on Josh's face that he had seen on his best friend's face the day Topanga told him she was letting him go. And that's all he needed to  _finally_ be convinced of the seriousness of Baby Matthews' feelings and intentions towards his daughter.

_"Knock, knock,"_  He called out, and knocked gently on Morgan's door again after no one responded to his earlier knocks.

After a few seconds, Morgan opened the door.

"Oh, hi Shawn," She gave him a timid smile.

"Hi Morgan," Shawn responded warmly. "My kid in there?" He asked.

"Um, ye-ea..."Morgan turned around and glanced nervously at Maya who was sitting on the bed, still in her pajamas, with her head resting on her best friend's shoulders. "She...uh, she said she doesn't wanna talk right now..." Morgan muttered.

"Ok," Shawn responded. "That's understandable...please tell her if she doesn't want to talk...that's cool. I just wanna sit with her and give her a hug-  _just for a minute_...if that's ok. It's 11am and I haven't seen her since last night and I know she's hurting. So, if she can just let me have a hug, I'll leave her be, ok?"

Morgan nodded as she immediately went and delivered the message.

Shawn let out a long sigh and waited patiently. After what seemed like  _hours_ but was probably just a couple minutes, Morgan returned.

"She said you can come in," She muttered with a wide smile.

_"Great,"_  Shawn beamed and let out a sigh of relief. He walked into the room and felt his heart breaking as he gazed lovingly at his daughter. He could feel the  _fatigue and sorrow_ etched on her face.

Maya smiled weakly when she saw him.

" _Whadaya_  want Pops?" She asked him in a slightly comical tone.

Shawn grinned and opened his arms wide. "A hug will be nice!" He told her.

"Riles, how about we get outta here?" Morgan told her niece.

"Ok," Riley agreed. She turned to her best friend and gave her a tight hug before she got up and exited the room with her aunt.

Shawn closed the door behind them.

"Come here, Pops," Maya patted the empty space next to her where Riley had been sitting. Shawn sat down and immediately pulled her into a warm embrace. Maya couldn't help shedding a few tears as she held on to him. After about a minute or so, she released herself from the embrace and wiped her tears, slowly.

Shawn placed his arm gently around her shoulders and nudged her head onto his shoulder before kissing the top of her head softly.

"How are you, Sweetheart? Lemme guess. Feeling shitty?" He asked her.

Maya chuckled softly. "Yeah, that about describes it," She murmured.

"Well, break-ups  _do_  tend to have that effect," Shawn responded as he gazed affectionately at her.

"You know... _he's_  feeling pretty shitty too..." He told her.

Maya sighed and glanced down at her bed.

"I know you don't wanna talk about it, Sweetheart. So if you want me to shut the hell up and scram, feel free to let me know. I'll do that," Shawn told her softly.

"No, it's ok," Maya shook her head. "I want you to stay."

"Alright," Shawn smiled. "He wants to win you back, Maya. He wants to know what he can do to fix this."

"I'm not sure what to say to that," Maya muttered with a weary sigh. "I mean, it's a no-win situation Dad. I already told him that. He wants to stay here. _I_ won't be here...So, how _exactly_ do you fix that? And I  _don't_ want him  _not doing what he wants to do because of me...I don't want to get in his way...you know? This is his Mom we're talking about!"_ She gazed at her father helplessly with tears in her eyes.

"Well, here's the thing," Shawn retorted. "After you left last night, Baby Matthews was understandably distraught. I spoke to him this morning. He told me that he is willing to do _anything_ to change your mind on this break-up. He just wants a chance to speak to you again. He is _hoping_  that at the very least, you will give him a chance and hear him out. And then, if you _still_  want to pursue this path, then he won't bother you again. _So,_  is that something that you _think_ you can do? Or is it  _completely_ over for you?"

Maya thought about Shawn's words for a minute before she finally responded. "I don't  _want_  him changing his plans for me...I just...I don't wan't him  _changing_ what he  _wants_ for me...you know? Cos I'm just gonna feel bad about it...like,  _I'm gonna feel like I'm the one keeping him away from his Mom._  And that's _a very shitty feeling_ , Dad."

"I get what you're saying," Shawn responded. "But it's a  _lot more complicated_ than that, kid. And so that's why  _I_ think you should hear him out. Look, I'm gonna be honest. I had some doubts about your relationship- and specifically,  _his_ feelings for you. I was naturally suspicious of exactly how much of it was -  _I just wanna be sucking face all day without getting in too much trouble so I'm just gonna make this lil thing official_ \- versus-  _I actually wanna get to know Maya and care about her on a deeper level_. He's quite the talker- just like I was back in the day- but actions speak louder than words. So I've been watching him _very closely_  trying to figure it all out. I  _know_  he is a good kid, but I couldn't just relax because of that. Good kids screw up sometimes, and sometimes they  _screw up really bad. Anyways,_ what I'm trying to say is that what happened last night between you two _finally_ convinced me of the seriousness of his feelings. He _reminded_ me of  _Cory_ last night, and that's the _only convincing_  I needed. I was ready to send him packing last night. You heard the ultimatum. I mean I was just sick and tired of his indecisiveness and the constant back and forth when it came to you. But I think something clicked for him when he realized that he had actually _lost_ you. So, just hear him out. That's all. Give him a few minutes and then, you can  _really_  make up your mind."

Maya sat quietly and continued to stare down at her bed as she listened to her father.

"Let me ask you something kid. What do  _you_  want?"

"Huh?" Maya glanced at him in confusion.

"What do you  _want_? Baby Matthews made it  _very clear_  what  _he_ wanted last night. He wants to be there for his Mom but he also really wants to be with you. He wants both! And he's determined to somehow make it all work. But what do  _you_  want? You spoke a lot last night but you didn't  _really_  say anything about that."

Maya simply stared at him for a moment and then shrugged her shoulders.

"Um...I dunno...I mean, I want him to be happy...I want  _everyone_  to be happy..." She mumbled. "I want everything to get back to normal..."

"Do you still want to be with him?" Shawn asked her bluntly.

Maya was quiet for a few seconds before she responded. "I want him to get what  _he_ wants," She stated passionately.

" _Nope_. You're dodging the question, Sweetheart-"

"Dad-"

"Do you still want to be with him? Even after  _everything_  you said last night- deep down in there-" He pointed to her chest, " _what do you want?_ Do you still want  _him_?"

Maya's heart raced as she avoided her father's penetrating gaze and stared down at her fingers. She didn't respond.

"Lissen to me, kid. See, the problem with _us_ is that we've been burned _so many times_ by the _one person whose love we probably craved the most at a vulnerable point in our lives_ that the minute we  _fear_  that _another_ major burn is coming- we scram. We start building those walls  _so high that no one can reach them._ We push people away. We leave  _first._ Just  _anything_ to avoid what we _fear_  is yet another heartbreak. And sometimes, this is a _very_ valid response...if you know the person well enough and can see the red flags  _a mile away._  But sometimes- it's not. It's just simply our fears and our very sensitive alarms getting in the way. So,  _make sure_ that you _know what you want_ , kid, and that you don't just allow your fears to take over and to lead you into making rash decisions that you'd end up regretting later on. _It's hard! I spent so many years avoiding the pursuit of what I truly wanted...because of my fears of getting burned yet again. Thank God_ I finally let your Mom in past my walls. And thank God that I had friends and loved ones who  _encouraged_ me to do so. Had I  _not_  given you guys a chance, I  _know_  that I would have  _regretted_ that decision for the rest of my life. And it just came to a point where I didn't want to _live_ like that anymore. Because, believe me kid _, nothing_  is worse than the feeling of regret. _Especially,_ when it's too late, and you can no longer go back."

Maya started sobbing as she buried her face in her hands. Shawn embraced her gently and pulled her into his chest before rubbing her back soothingly.

"I think you still wanna be with him kid," Shawn murmured softly. "But your  _fears_  are getting in the way-  _big time_.  _Don't_ let them. It's hard.  _But don't_. If you're not ready to let down those walls- then build a _lil door_. If he's willing to crawl through it to get to ya- well, that's when you know. That's what I did with you and your Mom. And boy,  _did_ you guys break down that wall! You both couldn't wait to snatch me fast enough. I mean, I don't blame ya.  _Look at me,"_ He grinned teasingly at her.

"Eew,  _not cool_  at all. And you're supposed to be the cool one around here. So, yeah, just stop. Please _,"_ Maya murmured as she shook her head at him in disappointment.

Shawn laughed.

He felt his phone vibrating. He took it out and quickly read the text message he had received.

**Baby Matthews** :  ** _Hey Shawn, we just finished speaking with Mom. Is Maya there? Can I talk to her now? Please? Thanks for your help._**

**Shawn: _I'm with her now. Lemme ask her._**

Shawn gazed at Maya and gave her a smile.

"Lemme guess. That was him," Maya stated as her heart began to race again.

Shawn nodded.

"Yeah. He asked if he can talk to you, now. If you don't mind..."

Maya sighed and ran her hand through her hair.

"Remember...just a lil door. See if he is willing to crawl through. That's _all_ you need to do. Ok?" Shawn told her.

Maya nodded solemnly. "Ok," She muttered.

"Awesome!" Shawn exclaimed with a wide smile. He immediately texted Josh and then leaned in to give his daughter a fond kiss on her forehead.

"I love you, Sweetheart," He muttered to her softly. "I  _always_ will." He leaned back, gave her another warm smile and gently wiped her tears away.

Maya embraced him tightly for a few seconds before she whispered in a low, tear-filled voice,  _"I love you too, Daddy."_

They stayed in each other's arms until they heard a soft knock on the door.

" _Oh_ \- The bastard has arrived!" Shawn playfully announced.

Maya chuckled softly for a couple seconds before her face turned serious again.

_"Dad...I dunno...I mean...I feel like crap right now...I dunno know if I can do this..."_ She murmured as they heard another knock on the door.

"That's your fear talking Sweetheart. Acknowledge that it's there. _But don't let it win_. It's gonna be ok. If anything - you got me and your Mom here for you- no matter what happens. Ok?"

Maya nodded. "Ok," She murmured.

"Alright kid. I'll let him in and scram," Shawn told her as he got off her bed. "I'll check on you once you guys are done chatting."

"Ok. Thanks Dad."

"You welcome, Maya," Shawn smiled at her one last time before he started walking away.

He opened the door just as Josh was about to knock again.

"Oh. Hi Shawn," Josh muttered nervously. "Sorry, I didn't realize you were still in there."

Shawn gave him a stern look before he responded.

"You screw up in there Baby Matthews, I'm officially gonna support you leaving NYU because you will truly be an idiot," He hissed at him before giving him a teasing grin.

"Seriously though, good luck. I did my part. The rest is up to you.  _Don't screw up,_ " He told him softly.

"Thanks Shawn, I owe you one," Josh muttered with a grateful smile.

"Nope. You don't," Shawn responded. "I'm sick and tired of all the tears and pain around here Baby Matthews. It's time to let the happy in. So if you can actually fix  _this- I_  might just owe  _you_ one. Her happiness is my happiness. So, yeah. Get it done."

Shawn patted his shoulder gently before he walked past the boy and went to find his wife. He hadn't seen or spoken to her yet since their daughter's break-up last night. He needed to find her and give her a warm embrace.


	38. Chapter 38

"Hey," Josh muttered as he stepped into the room.

Maya stared at him. Her heart was pounding, and she felt herself trembling slightly underneath his unflinching gaze. She averted her eyes from him for a moment in order to calm herself down by taking in a slow, deep breath and exhaling before refocusing her attention back on him.

"Hi," She murmured in a low, nervous tone.

Josh couldn't help giving her a small smile before taking a few steps towards her.

"Um, can I sit down?" He asked.

Maya nodded.

"Thanks," He murmured as he heaved an internal sigh of relief.

He sat down near the foot of the bed and stared at her quietly for a few seconds before speaking.

"Maya...um, I thought maybe we could talk some more about what happened last night..." His voice trailed off as he took a moment to think of his next words. "First of, I'm really sorry if anything I said or you  _heard_ me say hurt you in any way-"

"Josh, you don't have to apologize for anything you said," Maya interjected. "You said how you  _feel_ and you don't have to apologize for that."

"Well, yeah, but I could have said things in a better way probably," Josh responded as he ran his hand through his hair in slight frustration. "I was angry and...I shouldn't have argued with Shawn the way I did...I think at some point, he called me a spoiled brat, which is  _probably_ true...at least at the time..." Josh smiled to himself in amusement before continuing his train of thought. "Anyway, I'm sorry you ended up hearing me and Shawn go at it like that. I  _definitely_ could have handled that better- and I know it really hurt you to see us like that so, yeah. Sorry about that."

"It's ok," Maya responded. "It's been a crazy time so...I understand."

Josh nodded before speaking again. " _Maya_...I'm here to ask you if you would...reconsider...what you said last night," He stated. "I know you told me you were letting me go but... _hopefully_ , I can change your mind on that. I know you did it because you didn't want to get in the way with me and my Mom...and I really appreciate that. I appreciate that you cared so much about me wanting to be there for her that you would even consider walking away because you  _thought_  you would be in the way..."

He sighed softly before he continued. "Well, I'm here to tell you that you're  _not_ going to be in the way- so,  _please_ don't walk away..."

Maya's heart raced as she patiently waited for him to continue.

"We just spoke to Mom - this morning- about what she wants to do," Josh informed her. "She wants to stay here- which wasn't surprising. But she  _definitely_ doesn't want  _me_ to stay here  _with_  her," Josh grinned amusedly as he recalled his conversation with his Mom. "She pretty much told me that if I leave NYU, not only will she be  _extremely disappointed,_  but she will also kick me out of the house if I came over here to stay.  _And then_  I could decide if I wanted to be homeless  _or_ go back to school. So, yeah."

"Oh wow," Maya stared at him in slight shock.

" _Yep_. That's Mom," Josh told her with an amused grin. "And she was  _not_ kidding- in case you're wondering. She had that  _look_ on her face...you know the  _scary look_  that Moms give you when they've  _had_ it with you...they say your full name and everything...?"

Maya grinned. "Yeah," She nodded as she thought of Katy's frustrated looks.

"So, yeah. She...uh...once I brought up the leaving NYU idea, she shot it down  _right away_. Called me my full name and everything so that I'll know she was serious."

Josh sighed before running his hand slowly through his hair.

"Anyway, we reached a compromise. I will stay with her until school starts in September. Cor, Eric and Morgan are also gonna stay for a lil bit so we can all help out with the store and spend some time with her. And then, once it's just me and her this summer, I'll drive her over to visit everyone in New York whenever she wants a break from here. Then in September, I'm going back to NYU- and whenever I miss her, I can always come see her, and she will also be coming over more to the city. So, we'll try this back and forth between Philly and New York out for a year and see how it all shakes out," Josh concluded.

Maya nodded solemnly. "It's not  _really_  what you wanted though," She pointed out.

Josh gazed at her for a moment before responding. "Well, _it is and it isn't_ ," He told her. "Obviously, I would have preferred  _less_ back and forth and  _more_ staying near her to help her out. But that's not what  _she_ wants...and what  _she_  wants is clearly a lot more important than what  _I_ want. But, I'm also fine with this outcome because what I  _also_  want is to be with you, Maya. And if this compromise helps to make that possible then yeah, this _is_  what I want. I told you some time back- it feels like  _years_ ago but it was  _only months_ ago- on my birthday- that I wasn't _ever_  going to leave you. I meant that, Maya. Shawn kinda helped me to understand that another reason why you pulled away last night was because you were trying to protect yourself from ultimately getting hurt...I understand that. I  _never_ planned on leaving you Maya, and there's no way I'm ever gonna do that. I'm also  _never_ giving up on  _us._  You're  _family. I don't give up on family._ It's as simple as that. So, long story short, it looks like I'm coming back to New York after all. I mean, it's either that or I'm homeless..." He grinned.

"To be honest with you, Maya," He continued in a reflective tone, "if it wasn't for  _also wanting to be with you_ , I would have  _definitely_  fought back against my Mom's compromise. But, I didn't. I accepted it right away. Because I  _knew_ that would make it easier for me to come and talk to you  _now_  and to ask you to not let me go. I don't wanna lose anyone else anymore, Maya. And I,  _especially_ , do _not_ want to lose you. So, what do you say, Lil Ferret? Will you please take me back? And we can pretend that last night didn't happen? Cos, that would be  _awesome_ ," He smiled fondly at her.

Maya smiled as her eyes filled with tears. She took a moment to compose herself before she responded.

"Josh, I feel so  _terrible_ ," She murmured.

"Why?"

Maya simply shook her head slowly before answering him. "I  _thought_ I was doing the right thing last night...I  _thought_  I was doing it for  _you..._ so that it would be  _easier_  for you to be there for your Mom...at least that's what I kept telling myself..." She sighed softly. "The truth is, I was thinking about myself and trying not to get hurt and I ended up hurting you _even more_ after everything that you've just been through...I'm _so_  sorry about that..."Her voice trailed off as she wiped away her tears.

Josh found himself moving closer to her on the bed. He gave her a warm smile. "It's ok, Maya," He told her. "I think in a funny way, last night kinda did some good for us. And I know that sounds strange, but I'm  _all_ about optimism right? So hear me out."

"Ok," Maya nodded with an amused smile.

"It _certainly_  helped me realize _just how much_  I care about you. So _that's_ one good thing! It  _also_  helped me get to know you even more- on a much  _deeper_ level. I mean the stuff you told me about growing up and everything you felt with your Dad not being around, and the point when you _finally_  lost hope that he would come back...that was very powerful, Maya. And it's also something that we've never  _really_  talked about.  _Thank you_  for sharing that with me. I know it couldn't have been easy to do that.  _And_ , last but not least, I think it brought me and Shawn  _closer -_ which is incredible- because of everything that has happened between us lately. He same some stuff last night that I could tell he'd been wanting to say for a while...and I said some stuff and yeah...it didn't look so good between us. But then, everything happened with  _us_  and...he was very nice...he, um..." Josh paused to push back the tears in his eyes, "he was  _there_ for me...and gave me advice and told me not to barge into your room _right away_ and said he will speak to you...and...I dunno, we like _really_  bonded in a way he and I haven't really done since I started dating you and became his number one nightmare apparently," Josh grinned amusedly. "So, yeah. As _crazy_  as it sounds, good things _did_  happen last night as well. So, don't feel  _too bad_.  _Especially_ , if you  _are_  going to say yes to the question I asked. Will you _please_ take me back, Maya? So, we can hit the reset button and start over? What do you say, Lil Ferret?" He smiled fondly at her.

Maya's heart raced. She felt her previous sadness and weariness dissipating into the wind, as her eyes shone with renewed  _hope._ With a wide smile, she nodded her head firmly.

"Yes, I'll take you back, Boing," She stated confidently.

_"Yay!"_  Josh cried out excitedly.

Maya grinned as she gazed fondly at him.

"And I won't be so quick to let you go next time. I promise," She told him.

"Cross your heart?" Josh asked her with a warm smile.

Maya chuckled. "Yeah, cross my heart," She said as she made a "cross" sign over her chest.

Josh grinned amusedly as he watched her. "Good. That makes me happy to hear, Maya," He replied.

His heart was full with _happiness and hope_ \- two emotions he hadn't experienced much of within the past week. He stretched out his arms and let out a tired yawn.

"I know we just got back together, but  _boy_ , I could use a nap," He told her with an amused grin.

Maya giggled. "Me too," She admitted.

"We both didn't get much sleep, huh?"

Maya nodded.  _"Nope."_

Josh smiled at her. "Maya, will you...go somewhere with me today?"

She looked at him in surprise. "Sure. Where?"

"Um," Josh let out a long sigh before he continued. "I wanna go visit my Dad," He told her. "I wanted to drop something off...but, I don't wanna go alone..."

Maya felt her eyes filling with tears. She got up from her position on the bed and went to sit right next to him. She smiled at him- warmly- for a second before she leaned in and wrapped him in her arms. They held each other for about a minute as Maya rubbed his back soothingly. When she finally felt like she had fully comforted him, she whispered softly in his ear-  _"I love you Boing. I'll go with you anywhere."_

Josh tightened the embrace between them as he buried his face in her hair and sobbed. They didn't let each other go until Morgan and Riley finally came back into the room.


	39. Chapter 39

They drove in a comfortable, almost solemn, silence towards his father's grave-site. Josh had  _Thelma's_ windows wide open so that they could catch some of the warm Sunday afternoon breeze. As they cruised along through the light traffic and listened to the radio, they couldn't help sneaking fond glances and smiles at each other.

Josh, as always, was captivated by her simple beauty. She wore the same denim blue, spaghetti strap dress that he had seen her in barely a couple weeks ago when she had gone bowling with her friends in New York. Back then, she had begged him to come along, but he had refused in order to give her some bonding time with her friends. Those had been simpler times...when everything had been easier, carefree and lighter.  _So much_  had changed for him since then. He didn't think the heaviness that now constantly weighed on his heart would _ever_  dissipate.  _But_ , seeing her by his side and  _happy_ with the light summer breeze flowing through her long, blonde locks as she occasionally glanced at him or stared out the window at the rows of identical, white houses passing by, made him feel a little  _lighter_  and  _calmer_.

"Ooh,  _Boing_ , I  _love_ this song!" She exclaimed excitedly as the folksy, pop ballad,  _Ho Hey_  by _The Lumineers_  started playing on the radio. Josh smiled affectionately at her.

"Can I?" She asked him for permission to increase the volume. Josh grinned widely in amusement.

"Yeah, sure. Since when did you need permission to control my radio? You've basically taken over since you hopped into  _Thelma._  Kinda too late to start asking permission now, dontcha think?" He teased her.

Maya giggled. "True. You just have such a  _limited, old man_ musical taste though, Boing-"

"Ok,  _Coldplay_  is  _not_  old people music!"

"Whatever!" Maya cut him off playfully with a mischievous grin before she started singing along enthusiastically to the chorus of the song:

"I belong with  _you_ , you belong with  _me_ , you're my  _Sweethaaaart!"-_ She pointed at Josh when she sang the last note. Josh chuckled as he gazed at her affectionately.

"I belong with  _you_ , you belong with  _me_ , you're my Sweetheart!" Maya continued singing along as she gazed at her boyfriend. "LOOOVE- we need it  _now!_ Let's hope for some! 'Cause oh, we're bleedin' out,  _I belong with you, you belong with me, you're my Sweetheart, I belong with you, you belong with me, you're my Sweet- Ho!...Hey!"_

"Ho!" Josh sang out loudly with her.  _"HEYYY!"_  They both belted out the final note of the song before bursting into laughter.

" _Ho, hey,_  Sweetheart!" Maya called out to him playfully after their laughter subsided. Josh chuckled.

"Pretty good song," He muttered.

" _Yep!"_ Maya agreed. "It's old but it still sounds really good. I remember Riles and I were  _all over it_  when it first came out. We will start dancing around in her room and singing _so_ loud. Matthews would be like-  _what the hell?_ " She smiled fondly to herself as she thought of the memory.

" _By the way_ , talking about  _dancing_ , Boing, we need to work on yours if you're gonna be dating me. I mean- I  _can't_  be embarrassed, Sweetheart. Just saying."

Josh chuckled as he shook his head slowly at her comment. "My  _old man_ dancing is fine, Hunter. It's worked for me for 18 years now. I haven't lost any charm or popularity because of it. So leave me alone, will ya?" He told her with a playful smirk.

"Hm...we'll just have to see about that," Maya shot back at him with a sly grin.

Josh smiled and shook his head at her again before refocusing on the road.

" _Ooh_ , I like this song too!" Maya cried out excitedly. Josh smiled as he felt his heart warming up. One of his favorite slow songs,  _Chasing Cars_  by Snow Patrol was now playing. As they both quietly listened to the lyrics, they couldn't help but glance at each other. Finally, unable to hold himself back any longer, Josh removed his right hand from the steering wheel and grasped her hand gently. Maya beamed as she gazed at him with warm tears in her eyes. They were almost at their destination. Josh held on to her hand as the soothing lyrics of the song filled their ears...and their racing heart:

We'll do it all  
Everything  
On our own

We don't need  
Anything  
Or anyone

_If I lay here_  
If I just lay here  
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?

I don't quite know  
How to say  
How I feel

Those three words  
Are said too much  
They're not enough

_If I lay here_  
If I just lay here  
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?

_Forget what we're told_  
Before we get too old  
Show me a garden that's bursting into life

Let's waste time  
Chasing cars  
Around our heads

I need your grace  
To remind me  
To find my own

_If I lay here_  
If I just lay here  
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?

_Forget what we're told_  
Before we get too old  
Show me a garden that's bursting into life

All that I am  
All that I ever was  
Is here in your perfect eyes, they're all I can see

I don't know where  
Confused about how as well  
Just know that these things will never change for us at all

_If I lay here_  
If I just lay here  
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?


	40. Chapter 40

They walked silently, hand-in-hand, towards the grave. As they got closer to his father's tombstone, Maya could feel him tensing up. He slowed down his pace and tightened his grip on her hand. He fixed his gaze firmly on the ground, his head tilted down. She stopped walking abruptly, which caused him to also stop and glance at her in mild surprise.

" _Josh_ ," Maya said his name softly. "You don't have to do this  _right now_  if...you don't want to. I'll come with you whenever you're ready. Ok? Just let me know. Even if I'm in New York, I'll force Shawn to drive me over...or, I dunno, I'll steal a motorcycle and just wing it."

Josh burst out laughing at her last, unexpected comment.

"I mean it shouldn't be  _too hard_ right?" Maya continued in a playful tone. "If  _you_ can learn to ride,  _anybody_ can. Just saying, Boing," She shrugged and gave him a teasing grin.

Josh chuckled and gazed fondly at her.

"I think we should focus on getting you to drive first, kiddo. Before you start thinking about riding motorcycles. Take it easy, ok girl?" He grinned at her.

" _Ooh_ , you gonna teach me?" She asked him excitedly.

"What? Driving?"

Maya nodded enthusiastically.

"Sure. If you want me to," Josh responded with an amused smile. "We gotta wait until you grow up a lil though...and hopefully, get a lil taller. So, a million years from now, probably," He patted her head teasingly.

Maya frowned. "We _could_  follow the rules and do that,  _or_ you could start teaching me illegally this summer- with  _Thelma_! Just the basics. Nothing too crazy.  _Please_  Boing?"

Josh grinned as he shook his head at her in immense amusement. "Ya  _crazy_  girl," He chided her gently. "Ok.  _If_ there's time and the opportunity this summer, then  _maybe_ I'll teach you something. We'll see. Not making any guarantees. Alright?"

Maya nodded. "Okie dok. Thanks Boing!" She responded brightly.

Josh smiled at her one last time before he took in a deep breath and glanced at his father's tombstone which was about a yard away.

"Thanks for being here Maya," He told her softly. "To be honest, I don't know if I'll  _ever_ be ready to be here...but we are already here so..." His voice trailed off as he took in another breath and tried to gather his courage. "I think I'm just gonna do it," He murmured decisively.

Maya gently squeezed his hand. "Alright Boing, let's do it then," She told him.

Josh smiled appreciatively at her, before he started walking again towards the tomb.

Once they were facing the tombstone, Josh released her hand, and started removing a few items from his backpack. He took out a small, red baseball cap, a couple family pictures, a piece of paper with what looked like a note he had written on it, and scotch tape.

He moved closer to the tombstone, stood quietly for a few seconds gazing down at it, before he started taping the note and the pictures onto it. Maya folded her arms, and stood watching him with tears in her eyes. She watched him pick up the last item that he still had to tape to the tombstone- the baseball cap. He stared at it for almost a minute as his eyes slowly filled with tears. Maya felt her heart breaking. She watched him finally make a move to tape the cap. That's when- unable to stop herself- she spoke up.

"Josh...um...are you sure about this?" She asked him nervously.

Josh glanced at her in slight confusion. "Huh?" He said.

Maya pointed to the cap.

"Are you sure you want to leave that here? I know your Dad gave it to you but...maybe you should keep it?" She suggested. A part of her was terrified that he was going to be displeased with her intrusion, but she felt compelled to speak up.

Josh glanced at the cap and studied it for a moment, before shaking his head slowly. "I dunno..." He muttered. "I don't really wanna keep it...so, I just thought about leaving it here...in his honor..."

"I get it," Maya responded. "But maybe you could keep it and pass it on one day," Maya bit her lip nervously as she thought of her next words. She had to make sure she didn't offend him, or hurt him anymore than he was already hurting. "I dunno...but I feel like your Dad would really like it one day if you kept it and...um...gave it to your kid. And then you could tell him- or her- about your Dad..."

Maya turned her gaze away from him and started staring down at the ground. "That's just my opinion. You should do whatever  _you_  wanna do though. And I'm just gonna shut up now," She mumbled and gave him a shy smile before quickly averting her gaze.

Josh felt his heart racing as he considered her suggestion. In his grief, he had never once even thought about passing on the cap to his future offspring.

He pushed away the fresh tears in his eyes and walked towards his girlfriend. He placed the cap on her head and observed her with a teasing smile. Maya stared at him in confusion.

"Uh...what are you doing?" She asked him curiously.

"I was hoping to find someone to wear the cap  _now_ instead of having to wait God knows how long for my first kid," Josh responded with a wide grin. "Unfortunately, your  _huge_ head aint gonna cut it Ferret, so I guess I'll have to wait.  _What a bummer_."

Maya giggled as she shook her head at him. "You know, I've been  _really_ nice to you lately with this whole teasing thing...but that's gonna change in a month or so. Consider yourself warned Boing."

Josh chuckled before removing the cap from her head and placing it back in his bag.

"Thanks Maya," He told her softly.

"You welcome," She replied with a wide smile. 

Josh sat down on the grass with his legs crossed as he gazed at the tombstone. Maya sat down next to him and wrapped her arm around his waist before resting her head on his shoulder.

Josh smiled. He laid his head on hers and closed his eyes as happy memories of his father flooded his thoughts. They sat like that for a few minutes as they took comfort in each other's presence, and in the unseen presence and memories of his beloved father. When Josh finally felt like he was at the point where he could say goodbye, he opened his eyes slowly and muttered under his breath:  _"Goodbye Dad. I'll see you soon. I love you."_

Maya felt tears trickling down her cheeks when she heard him. She quickly wiped them away. She then turned to her boyfriend and gently wiped away _his_  tears. He smiled warmly at her before pulling her into a tight embrace. He sobbed quietly as he buried his face in her shoulder. They stayed like that for a few minutes before Josh slowly pulled away and glanced one more time at the tombstone before standing up. 

"I'm all set," He told Maya with a weak smile.

"Ok," Maya nodded as she also stood up and beamed at him. "We gonna head back home?" She asked as they started walking away.

"Well, I kinda wanted to stop by the church for a few minutes if you don't mind," Josh pointed to the church where his parents regularly attended services and took him along before he went off to college.

"No of course not. I don't mind," Maya stated.

"Ok," Josh retorted as he squeezed her hand and then started swinging it playfully. "And afterwards, we can go anywhere you want Maya. It's a lil hot, but it's a nice day and it's still early...we don't have to go back home..."

Maya smiled fondly at him. "I appreciate you thinking about me Josh, but I'm cool with whatever you wanna do. It really doesn't matter to me."

Josh grinned. "Aww, aren't you a  _sweet lil thing_?" He teased her in a fake Southern accent.

Maya rolled her eyes at him. He chuckled.

"The only place I really wanted to go today was here, Maya...and wherever you want to go after. I already told Shawn we'll probably be back in the evening. So please choose. Whatever you want to do or wherever you want to go...I'll make it happen," He beamed at her. "You're ditching me soon for New York anyway, so I wanna make sure that we actually  _do_ something before you leave."

Maya smiled. "Ok," She simply stated.

"Alright, so what dyou wanna do, Ferret?" Josh urged her. "Spill it. _Don't_  be shy."

"Hmm..."Maya thought for a moment before she grinned widely. "Is there a beach nearby? It'll be nice to go to the beach. I haven't been in a while."

Josh smiled fondly at her. "That could  _definitely_ be arranged," He responded.

"Cool!" Maya retorted excitedly. "So there  _is_ a beach nearby?"

"Well...about an hour and a half away in New Jersey," Josh responded. "I think that's the closest one."

"Oh my gosh.  _Wow_. That's kinda far, Boing. Forget it then. Let's just go back home," Maya replied in an alarmed tone.

Josh grinned amusedly at her reaction. "Uh...no, that's not happening," He told her firmly. "Didn't I just tell you to tell me what you want and I'll make it happen? You want beach, then we'll go. It'll just take a little while, but an hour and a half driving is  _nothing_ , Maya. Don't worry about it. I drive more than that to New York."

Maya sighed. "I know Josh but today should be a  _relaxing_  day for you- and not when you're like driving around for so long, you know? We  _really_ don't have to do this. I just thought maybe a beach was close by or something."

"Ok," Josh responded in an assertive tone. "We're wasting time kinda going back and forth on this so  _I'm_ gonna decide now. No offence, Ferret. We're gonna go to the beach,  _and_ you will force me to listen to  _more_ Ariana Grande during the three hours of driving I'll be doing in total,  _and_ we'll grab some tacos for dinner before heading back home. Sounds like a plan? Cos that's we're gonna do- whether you like it or not. The boss has spoken."

Maya beamed at him before she nodded her head slowly. "Ok, Boss Boing, if that's what you want then, let's do it."

" _Excellent,"_ Josh replied excitedly. "Alright, let's stop by the church first."

They walked inside the church- where they had just been the day before for his father's funeral. It was empty and refreshingly cool inside. She sat with him in one of the pews and held his hand as he gazed at the large cross perched on the altar of the church. From the stoic look on his face, Maya couldn't be sure of what he was thinking...or praying. But she  _could_  still comfort him. And so, that's what she did. She laid her head once again on his shoulder. He smiled at her. And then, once he indicated that he wanted to kneel and say a prayer, she also knelt down next to him with her arm still wrapped around him. He had his eyes closed for about a minute. Maya could only hope in that moment, as she stayed by his side, that he would soon find peace. That was her unofficial prayer.

_God_ , Josh prayed.  _I'm still mad that you didn't save him. I don't get why you let this happen to Mom...to us...But being mad is not gonna change anything I suppose...what's done is done...so, what the heck is the point?...I guess I'm just praying for Mom, and everyone in the family to finally not be sad anymore...and, to be at peace. And...please take care of Dad...in Heaven. Thanks...Amen._


	41. Chapter 41

"Alright Boing. I'm feeling nice today. Where's your phone? We can start playing your music," Maya informed him halfway through their beach trip after having grown tired of the songs on the radio. Josh chuckled before handing her his phone.

"Wow, I'm  _shocked_. You  _could_  just play yourmusic. I don't really care."

" _Nah_. I've tortured you enough. Like I said, feeling nice today," She grinned as she scrolled through his song playlists. She giggled as soon as she saw a playlist he had titled "Oldies but goodies."  _Of course he would have this,_ she thought in immense amusement. She immediately clicked on it, curious to hear what _ancient_ songs were on it and ready to make fun of him for listening to them.

The song "Wonderwall," by the band  _Oasis_  was the first to start playing. Maya was  _very familiar_  with it. When Katy signed her up for guitar lessons when she had been around ten years old (because Maya had begged her to for  _months_ ), it had been one of the songs she had to play for her guitar recital.

"Just  _maybeeeee_ ," Maya started singing the chorus loudly as she pretended to strum along on an invisible guitar, "you're gonna be the one that saves  _meeeee_...and after allllll, you're my wonderwalllll....JUST _MAYBEEEEE..."_

Jost burst out laughing as he shook his head at her. " _Love_  the voice... _lower_  the volume a bit...ok, Sweetheart?" He pleaded.

Maya stopped singing and turned to look at him in shock.

"What?" Josh asked, confused.

" _Holy crap_ , _Boing,_ " Maya muttered.

_"What?!"_ Josh asked her in alarm. He had  _no_ idea why she was acting so strangely all of a sudden.

"You...you just called me  _Sweetheart- that's what,"_ She told him with a fond smile. "This is your  _first time_ calling me  _anything_ other than _Maya, Lil Ferret or kiddo._ I... _I'm so touched,"_ She pretended to wipe an invisible tear from her eye. "This...this is the _greatest_ day of my life, Boing," She stated in a dramatic tone. "I will like to thank my family...my Mom...Riley...God...Shawn..."

Josh burst out laughing.  _"Oh my God..."_ He muttered under his breath as he chuckled some more at her silliness.

Maya was grinning from ear to ear as she watched him. "You know that  _now_ you gotta call me Sweetheart like  _all_  the time, right?" She told him.

"Ye-ah, that's  _not_ happening," Josh shot back in an amused tone. "Sorry, kiddo."

"But  _Boyiiing,"_  Maya whined and pouted. Josh chuckled.

"Ok, hear me out," He defended himself. "If I call you that  _all_ the time, then it's not gonna  _mean_ anything. It's gonna be like when your parents call you  _Sweetheart or Sweetie_. You don't even think about it when you hear it cos they call you that like all the time. So, if you want it to be  _special_ , then I can't _always_  be calling you that. See what I mean?"

"See, that's where you're  _wrong, Ho-ney,"_ Maya retorted. Josh grinned when he heard the emphasis she placed on "honey."

" _Lil Ferret_  is special no matter how many times you call me that, and it's _always_ going to be. So  _Sweetheart_ will be  _no_  different. Get it? Now if you don't  _feel_ comfortable calling me that all the time cos you're  _super_   _lame,_ then I understand. But your reason is  _completely b.s._  Sorry Boing. This is what happens when you have a smart girlfriend. Can't get anything past your  _Sweetheart's amazing brain_ ," She smiled teasingly at him as she pointed her finger at her head. "Now  _if only_  I could use this to get some  _As_  in school..." She shook her head sadly.

Josh chuckled at her comment. " _Ok fine_. Ya got me," He admitted. "I guess I didn't really think that whole reasoning through huh?" He grinned affectionately at her. "I'll shut up now and mind the road."

Maya giggled. "I'm gonna let this one slide since you've admitted that  _I'm_ right- as usual. And no, you do  _not_  have to call me  _Sweetheart_  all the time. I was just messing with you. I actually really like  _Lil Ferret_ ," She beamed at him.

Josh smiled warmly at her. "Me too. Reminds me of good times."

"Yep," Maya agreed.  _"Dear Applicant Boing! This year we only accept married applicants!"_ She exclaimed as she started recalling the moment she jumped on Josh's back and started "reading" his acceptance letter out loud. That was when he called her "Little Ferret" for the first time. Instead of reading the exact words in the letter, Maya inserted her own words which of course drove Josh completely crazy at the time.

_"It doesn't say that!"_ Josh exclaimed as he immediately recalled that hilarious exchange between them. They both started laughing at the memory.

"That day changed your life forever, Boing...and mine. T'was a good day," Maya stated with a satisfied nod.

"Yes it was," Josh agreed with a wide smile.

"I think that was the one and only time I ever jumped on your back. Haven't done it since," Maya pointed out.

"Oh yeah. You're right. Ha. Not even since we started dating?" Josh asked, surprised.

Maya shook her head. "We  _have_ only been dating for like two weeks though so,  _plenty of time_  to get my piggyback rides I suppose," She grinned mischievously.

" _Goodness_. It feels like we've been dating for  _years_ ," Josh remarked in an amused tone.

Maya laughed. "Not sure if that's a good or a bad thing," She commented.

Joah grinned teasingly at her. " _Ye-aah..._ I'm not sure either..."

" _Hey_!! What's  _that_  supposed to mean?!" Maya protested.

Josh burst out laughing. "Ignore me," He replied. "Just so you know, my back is available  _anytime_. Feel free to jump on it. Just don't get  _too crazy_. After all, I'm not as young as I used to be," He grinned at her teasingly.

Maya chuckled. "Ok, Gramps, got it... _oh my gosh! I know this_ _song_!" She exclaimed excitedly as another one of Josh's songs started playing:  _A Sky Full Of Stars_  by Coldplay.

"I first heard it at our 7th grade semi-formal," She explained. "The  _really_  dramatic one where Riles had to choose between  _Charlie the Gardner_ and  _Ranger the Rick..._ _Dang_ , that was a fun but  _stressful_  night. I just danced through it all though. No boy bothered me." She grinned as she thought fondly of the experience. 

" _Of course_ , they didn't  _dare_  bother you. You were already taken," Josh stated matter-of-factly before giving her a flirtatious wink.

Maya felt her heart flutter as she gazed fondly at him with a warm smile. In the brief silence that ensued as their eyes met, the upbeat notes of the song they were listening to filled the air surrounding them:

_'Cause you're a sky, 'cause you're a sky full of stars_   
_I'm gonna give you my heart_   
_'Cause you're a sky, 'cause you're a sky full of stars_   
_'Cause you light up the path_

_I don't care, go on and tear me apart_   
_I don't care if you do, ooh_   
_'Cause in a sky, 'cause in a sky full of stars_   
_I think I saw you..._

_'Cause you're a sky, you're a sky full of stars_   
_Such a heavenly view oo_   
_You're such a heavenly view oo_

_Yeah, yeah, yeah, whooo!_

* * *

 

"Here we are! Welcome to  _Asbury Park_ , Lil Ferret!" Josh exclaimed as he pulled into the beach parking lot. 

" _Sweet,"_ Maya muttered excitedly as she jumped out of the car and glanced around at her surroundings. They were standing on a large boardwalk- one of the biggest that she had ever seen. There was a hubbub of activity all over- families strolling, kids running around, a live band playing old songs by Bruce Springsteen, and an array of vendors, stores and restaurants. Adjacent to the boardwalk was the sandy beach which stretched out for miles into the large ocean. 

" _Wow_ , this place is _lit_ , Boing. We  _definitely_  need to come back here again with Riles...and Auggie!" Maya commented with a wide grin as they started strolling along the boardwalk.

Josh beamed at her. "Yeah, it's pretty neat. We usually don't come here for the summer. We go to other beaches a little farther away on the Jersey shore. But I remember really loving here  _the first time_ we came. A  _long time ago_ when I was like a kid. _.._ " His voice trailed off.

Maya felt a heaviness in her chest when she saw his solemn expression as he immersed himself in his childhood memories. She immediately stopped walking, turned him around and wrapped herself in his arms. Josh felt his heart soar as she kissed him on his cheek before burying her face on his shoulder. They stayed like that for a half-minute before Josh broke the embrace.

" _Thanks Maya_ ," He whispered as he affectionately placed a few strands of her loose hair behind her ear. Maya smiled.

"I like it here already Josh," She told him. "But if you're ready to go- whenever- please don't stay because of me. I'm ready to go whenever you want. We can even leave _now_."

Josh shook his head. "Nah, I'm good. We're gonna stay for as long as  _you_  want to hang around. We never got to finish our date...I'd like us to finish it..." He wrapped his arms around her and leaned in. "...At least before you head back to New York and leave me  _all alone_ _,_ " He whispered before capturing her lips in a gentle kiss.

Maya couldn't help smiling widely as his lips touched hers. It had been too long... Josh pulled back after a few seconds before he leaned in again and kissed her forehead softly.

_"I love you, Lil Ferret,"_  He whispered. Maya beamed as she gazed up at him and gently caressed his face. " _I love you too, Boing,"_  She said.

Josh smiled fondly at her before grabbing her hand and continuing their walk.

"Ok, so what d'you wanna do? Let's get in the water  _now_  or let's hang out here on the boardwalk for a bit and check stuff out?" He asked her. "They have some really cool stuff here.  _Oh_! They have a pinball museum! It's  _really cool._  They have like old pinball game machines from like  _decades_  ago and you can play them for like an hour. Kinda like an arcade with super old games. It's awesome!"

Maya giggled when she saw how excited he was getting. For a second, she could almost imagine him as a young boy jumping around in excitement at the sight of a  _pinball museum_ on a beach.

"I see you love your games, Boing," She teased him.

Josh grinned. "I do. Blame Drew. I don't think I've  _ever_  met anyone who loves games more than him. He and I will  _definitely_  be at the pinball museum right now if he were here."

Maya smiled. "Well, sorry I'm not Andrew, Boing."

Josh laughed. "It's ok. I don't particularly mind. You're cool too," He patted her on the head condescendingly.

"We can go to the pinball museum later but I kinda wanna go into the water first," Maya told him. "It's burning hot out here."

"Ok," Josh agreed. "Water it is. I just realized, we don't have bathing suits though. Unfortunately, we are both very ill-prepared for this trip," He sighed.

Maya giggled. "It's aight. I'm gonna go in like this!" She twirled around in her blue, spaghetti strap dress.

"You gonna get that dress wet?" Josh asked with a sad face.

" _Hell, yeah._  It will be fine," Maya responded.

Josh sighed again. "Ok. Well at least, lemme get you a towel so you can dry off. Let's check out this guy's stuff." He quickly led her to a street vendor who was selling mounds of beach essentials. Josh immediately spotted a large beach towel and asked the vendor the cost.

"Twenty bucks," He responded with a wide smile. Josh nodded and took out his wallet.

"Josh, no," Maya spoke up right away.

Josh glanced at her in surprise. "What's wrong?"

"You don't need to buy me a towel," She told him. "It's a waste of money. I'm sure you guys have a lot at home right? We just don't have it here. I'll just dry myself out in the sun."

"It's ok, Maya," Josh retorted. "I don't want you shivering from the cold every time you get in the water. So I'm gonna get it."

"No," Maya stated firmly. "Save it for my tacos," she grinned at him. "I  _really_  don't need a towel...besides, I noticed you have a large, red sweatshirt in your car? I could use that to dry off!"

Josh chuckled. "That  _old_ thing?! It's been there for months, Maya."

"Is it clean?" She asked.

"Not sure," Josh shrugged. "I haven't worn it in a while. You will have to smell it and find out," He grinned teasingly at her.

Maya giggled in amusement. "Ok, I'll check it out. So  _no_  buying towels. Ok, Honey?"

Josh smiled warmly at her. "Ok, Sweetheart," He responded softly.

Maya blushed and felt her heart fluttering.

Josh couldn't help chuckling when he saw her reaction.

"Miss, I'm also selling these flower hairbands if you're interested. They will look real nice in your hair," the vendor eagerly addressed Maya.

Maya curiously observed the hairbands.

"Do you like 'em?" Josh asked her.

"Um...yeah," Maya nodded. "But-"

"How much are they?" Josh asked the vendor.

"Five bucks."

"Ok, I'll take two," Josh retorted before grabbing a ten-dollar bill from his wallet.

"Josh, wait-"

" _Uh-uh_ ," Josh shook his head at her. "You're not gonna stop me this time, Maya.  _Shush_." He covered her mouth with his hand. The vendor laughed.

"Here you go, sir," He handed him the hair ties.

"Awesome, thanks!" Josh responded. "Here. Try it on," He handed one to Maya.

"Thanks Josh," She beamed at him.

"Welcome."

"Why'd you buy two?" She asked him curiously.

"One for you, one for Riles," Josh explained. "That way, you guys can twin it out!"

Maya grinned as she placed the hairband in her hair.

"Alright, smile! I'm gonna snap a pic...if you don't mind," Josh announced as he held up his camera.

Maya smiled. " _Nope. Never_ too shy for pics!" She told him as she posed for the camera. Josh snapped a few pictures and handed the camera for her to see.

"I like them," She told him with a fond smile. 

"Me too," Josh commented with a wide grin. 

"Send them to me?" She asked. 

"Sure, will do," Josh nodded. 

"Ok, let's go get your dirty, stinky sweatshirt from the car, Boing.  _Last one to the car is a rotten, Doodoo-head!_ " She cried out excitedly before she bolted off running.

Josh chuckled in immense amusement as he watched her run off. He made sure to give her a decent head-start before he bolted off after her. Within a few seconds, he had approached her. Maya screamed when she saw how close he was. She tried to increase her pace but it was too late. Josh grabbed her from behind in an embrace and lifted her up off the ground. Maya burst out into a series of high-pitched giggles as he spun her around.

"Where d'you think you're going little girl?" He teased her.

"Okay! Okay! You win! Lemme down!" She cried out amidst her giggles.

Josh carried her until he reached the car and finally released her.

Maya immediately straightened out her dress before giving him an annoyed look.  _"Not fair_. You run like every morning.  _Of course_  you would win. Since the game wasn't fair from the beginning, I officially declare myself the winner of this competition."

Josh burst out laughing. "Ok,  _Doodoo-Head._ Way to be a sore loser," He teased her. "I haven't even ran for the past week,  _and_ you had a headstart. So, you should have beaten me, loser. Just saying," He informed her.

Maya watched him quietly as he opened  _Thelma_ and took out his red sweatshirt. She observed him in amusement as he smelled it for a few seconds before tossing it to her.

"Smells like a sweatshirt fit for a Doodoo-Head. Good luck!" He said.

Maya grinned amusedly before smelling it for herself. It had the musty, old smell of the car, and it looked relatively clean. She immediately wore it over her dress. It was large enough to cover her outfit and stretched down to her knees.

"How do I look?" She asked as she posed for him.

Josh gave her a warm smile before taking another picture of her. 

"You look like a cute, tiny, red,  _doodoo-ferret_ ," He teased her as he pulled her towards him and rested his arm over her shoulder.

Maya beamed at him as she wrapped her arm around his back.

They walked peacefully on the beach. Once they reached the water, Maya took off the sweatshirt and her hairband before immediately wading into the water in her attempt to escape the oppressing heat.

"You coming Boing?" She called out to him.

Josh watched her for a moment before laying his backpack down and joining her in the water.

"Thought you were gonna take off your shirt," Maya told him with a mischievous grin. Josh chuckled. "Not today," He simply stated. Maya pouted. "When we actually come prepared next time with bathing suits, then  _maybe_ ," Josh explained further before he splashed some of the water on her.

" _Hey!_ " She protested and immediately splashed him back. Josh laughed before wading further into the water, turning back around and splashing her again.

"Oh it's on, Joshua Matthews!" Maya yelled out.

Josh burst out laughing. For the next few minutes, they engaged in an intense splash battle. When they quickly tired out, they each swam at their own pace and tried to enjoy the cool stillness of the water.

Maya was the first to exit the water. Completely drenched, she grabbed Josh's sweatshirt and used it to dry her face before laying it on the sandy beach as a "blanket" and lounging on it. Josh soon came out and laughed when he saw his sweatshirt on the sand.

"I see we found another use for my old, stinky sweatshirt," He joked as he sat down on it next to her. "The idiot I am, I didn't even think about buying a blanket," He grinned at her. "I bought you hairbands though. Cos that's a  _lot_  more important on a beach than a blanket, right?" He said sarcastically.

Maya laughed and laid her head down on his wet shoulder. "It's ok, Boing," She told him. "I wouldn't have let you buy it anyway. I would have been like,  _but we got your sweatshirt!_ "

Josh chuckled and shook his head at her. "Yeah, you would have," He agreed. He kissed her wet hair affectionately.

For a moment, they sat still, completely content, as they watched the passing waves. 


	42. Chapter 42

"Wanna head to the pinball museum now?" Maya asked him.

"We don't  _have_  to," Josh responded as he glanced at his phone. "It's almost dinner time. Are you hungry? We could go grab some tacos now if you want."

Maya grinned. "I'm always hungry for tacos Boing, but you were super excited about this pinball thingie, so let's check it out first."

Josh smiled warmly at her. "Ok, sounds good. Thanks Maya." He stood up and offered her his hand.

" _Up! Up! Uppa! Now!_ " He commanded her in a playful tone.

Maya giggled before giving him her hand. He immediately pulled her up.

"Want me to piggyback you to the pinball museum?" He asked her with an amused grin.

Maya gasped in excitement.  _"Oh, hells yeah!"_  She nodded vigorously.

Josh chuckled before turning around so his back was facing her. "Hop on," He urged her. "But just so you know, you owe me a  _hundred_  bucks if you end up  _breaking_  my back. I'll be sending my lawyers to collect the bill.  _So_ , hop on at your own risk."

Maya grinned amusedly at his comment. "Ok. Hold on," She said as she grabbed Josh's sweatshirt and shook it free from the sand particles attached to it before tying it around her waist.

"Want me to grab your backpack?" She asked him.

"Oh yeah. Sure. Thanks."

She finally mounted his back after grabbing all their belongings.

" _Yayyy,_ " She murmured excitedly as she wrapped her arms securely around his neck and started bouncing up and down.

" _My gosh_ , you need to eat a  _lotta_  tacos tonight Ferret," Josh observed. "I literally don't feel  _anything_ on my back right now."

Maya giggled. "You sound like my Mom," She told him.

Josh chuckled. "Well, I agree with her. You gotta eat more, girl!"

"Will you just shut up and go?  _Giddy up Boing!_ " Maya teased him.

Josh turned his head around to look at her.

"I'll still be collecting that hundred bucks though," He told her with a teasing grin. "My old back can't handle much. So even though a freakin'  _feather_  weighs more than you do right now, this is  _still_ taking a toll on my precious, sensitive body."

Maya shook her head at him. "I  _knew_ I shoulda gone for someone  _younger...and hotter_ ," She stated with a long sigh.

Josh burst out laughing at her comment.

"But  _no._ I had to go chasing an  _old man_ ," Maya continued. " _Everyone_ told me,  _'it's not worth it, Maya...you should leave him alone.'_  But did I listen?  _Nope._ "

Josh chuckled as he gazed at her fondly.

"I  _did_ try to warn ya. But like you said, you're  _just so stubborn,_ " He told her with a wide grin. "It is what it is, Ms. Hunter.  _Hopefully,_ I'll be the  _only_ old man you'll  _ever_  , we're gonna have a problem if you got like a whole list of candidates."

Maya grinned. "You don't have to  _ever_  worry about that, Boing," She assured him before leaning in and kissing him softly.

Josh had the biggest, and silliest, grin on his face after she pulled away.

* * *

 

"Oh my gosh Boing, I can't  _believe_ I beat you!" Maya teased him as they entered  _El Sombrero_ Mexican restaurant on the boardwalk.

Josh grinned. "For the  _millionth_ time Maya, I  _totally_  let you win. You just don't wanna accept that."

"Um...ye-ah. You keep telling yourself that,  _Joshua_ ," Maya shot back. " _Eventually,_ you  _might_ realize that Maya Hunter doesn't lose.  _Ever._ If she loses, it's cos she  _wants_  to. It is what it is, Boing.  _Que sera, sera_ ,  _muchacho._ "

Josh chuckled. "Ok,  _enough_  bragging, Ms. Hot Shot. You just said that you couldn't  _believe_ you beat me, remember?"

Maya giggled.

"Fact is, you got  _lucky_ Maya. Just admit it. You hit the ball  _perfectly_  like  _one_ time and you ended up getting a lotta points for it. I couldn't catch up after that. It  _won't_ happen again, trust me," Josh stated.

"Hi, welcome to  _El Sombrero_! How may I help you?" One of the waitresses addressed them.

"Ok Boing. There's only  _one_  way to settle this. I demand a  _rematch_.  _And then_  we'll see if it was just luck," Maya hissed at him. "You just can't accept that you lost for  _once._ It's ok though. I kinda have that effect on a lot of  _losers_  in life."

" _Woww,"_ Josh muttered as he burst out laughing.

"Um, 'scuse me," The waitress addressed them again.

"Oh sorry! We are in the middle of a  _very_  heated convo. He just lost in pinball. I beat him by  _ten points!_ " Maya explained to the waitress excitedly.

"Oh," The waitress responded with an amused expression. "I'm sorry, Sir," She glanced at Josh.

Maya laughed. "No need to apologize.  _El es un grande loser,_ " Maya stated in broken Spanish as she pointed at Josh.

The waitress and Josh both burst out laughing. Maya grinned widely.

"Forgot how to say 'loser' in Spanish," She admitted with a shrug.

" _Perdedor._ That's how you say it," The waitress informed her. " _El es un gran perdedor...'He's a big loser,'"_ She corrected Maya.

Maya laughed, while Josh simply shook his head in disapproval.

" _Gracias_!" Maya thanked the waitress. "Thanks for the info. You heard Boing?  _Tu eres un gran perdedor_.  _Lo siento, Papi,"_ She teased him harshly.

"Can we get a table please?" Josh asked the waitress in a desperate attempt to change the subject.

"Sure. Follow me please," She responded before leading the way towards a small table at the back of the restaurant.

"Here are your menus," She handed them a couple of large menus. "My name is Rosa and I'll be your waitress for tonight. Would you like to start off with a drink?"

"Um, yeah. Water is fine for me please," Josh stated.

"Ok," Rosa nodded as she jotted down Josh's request. "And you, Señorita?" She asked Maya.

Maya gave her a mischievous grin. "You got champagne, Rosa? I'm feeling like celebrating my  _win_ tonight. You know what I mean?"

Rosa laughed as Josh gave a long sigh and shook his head again.

"I would  _love_ to help you celebrate, Señorita -"

"Please, call me Maya,  _por favor_."

Rosa smiled. "Ok. Will love to help you celebrate, Maya, but I'll have to see your I.D. first for alcohol. Sorry. It is restaurant policy."

It was Josh's turn to laugh as he saw the disappointed look on Maya's face. He found it hilarious that it had never occurred to her that she would be asked to show proof of her age before being served  _any_ alcoholic drink. The whole episode revealed for him just how  _innocent_  she was. And although he was laughing  _at_  her in that moment, he found himself falling  _for_  her even more.

"Um, Rosa, she's gonna have a  _Pina Colada._  Virgin, please," Josh ordered after his laughter subsided.

"Oh ok.  _Gracias._ Will be right back with your drinks."

"Awesome. Thanks," Josh responded.

After Rosa left, Maya turned to look at him with an embarrassed look on her face.

" _Gosh_. I'm such an  _idiot_ ," She muttered with a sigh.

Josh grinned fondly at her.

"It's alright, Ferret. You  _may_  be too young to order champagne at  _any_  restaurant but at least, you're a winner at pinball!" Josh teased her. "If  _nothing_ else works out for you in life,  _hey_ , you'll always have that!"

" _Shut up_!  _Callate la boca_!" Maya hissed at him in English and Spanish.

Josh laughed for a few seconds before he reached over and poked her cheek playfully.

"Wanna know something?" He said.

"What?" Maya asked with a sad look on her face.

"I'm glad you don't know  _anything_  about ordering alcohol. If I had it my way, you'd continue to stay this innocent forever,  _Lil Ferret_ ," He admitted.

Maya smiled warmly at him before giving him a mischievous look.

"Awww, how  _sweet._ Yeah, I aint staying like this forever Boing. After this  _embarrassment_ , I'm just gonna have to figure out how to get a fake I.D. That's how you guys do it in college, right? Time to get into the  _big boy and girls business,_ " She retorted.

" _Oh God_ ," Josh muttered as he rubbed his face wearily with his palm. "Ok, about that. Yes, a lotta college  _and_ high school students try to do that, or get someone to buy them the alcohol, but  _please_ don't do that, Maya. It's  _really_ not worth it," Josh told her.

"Well,  _you've_ done it. So why shouldn't I?" Maya challenged him.

"I never got a fake I.D.," Josh admitted to her. "Andrew and I thought about doing it once, but I just didn't feel like going through the bother. I  _did_ drink in high school and when I first started college, but to be honest, it's  _really_ not what it's cracked up to be. I know I can't stop you from wanting to experience it, and I  _get_ why you'd want to experience it, but I just wanna make sure you  _know_  what you'd be getting yourself into. There's a lot of crazy stuff that happens at parties in high school and college- which is where you're gonna find the alcohol. And when you first start drinking, you don't really know what you're doing, and once you're drunk, you can put yourself in some  _really_  vulnerable and  _shitty_  situations."

Maya listened to him intently as he kept speaking.

"I stopped going to a lot of college parties by my second semester. Just didn't want any part of the craziness anymore," Josh admitted to her. "I also don't drink much anymore, cos, like I said, you usually get a lot of access to alcohol when you go to a lot of parties. I don't have  _time_ for that. Nor do I  _want_ to. Once in a while, Drew will have a beer in his room- which you're  _not_ supposed to have in your dorm by the way. You could like get in big trouble for that, but that doesn't stop a lot of students from sneaking it in.  _Anyways,_ if we're hanging in his room and he has a beer and offers it, then I'll drink, but that's about it...I  _know_ I sound like a hypocrite, but I can't help myself cos obviously, I  _care_ about you. There's absolutely  _no need_ to drink  _or_ get wasted. If you  _really really_ want to and  _nothing_ Boing is gonna say is gonna stop you, then  _at least make sure_ that you're doing it around people you  _trust_ and who you know will be  _sober._ Cos if  _you're drunk_ and everyone else is also out of it, well then, you're in a  _really_ vulnerable situation and I'd  _hate_ for you to  _ever_ be in that situation. I know I sound like your father, but ya hear me?"

Maya smiled warmly at him. "I'm  _never_ going to put myself in that situation, Josh, without you around. I trust you, and I'll never wanna do something like that without you."

"Well, you see,  _that's_  the problem, Ferret," Josh retorted. "Like I said, if I had it _my_  way, you would do  _everything_ right. You would wait until 21 to start drinking... Cos it would be  _really_  hard for me to  _see_  you in that situation  _any time_ before that. Know what I mean?"

Maya nodded. "I know. But you're still gonna come along, whether you want to or not."

" _Shucks,"_ Josh muttered in a frustrated tone.

Maya giggled at his reaction before she continued her train of thought.

"There's  _no way_ I would ever go to a party without you. Sorry, that's kinda what you signed up for when you agreed to be my boyfriend, even  _after_ I tried to kick you out. See? You're kinda stubborn too,  _muchacho_. We're  _totally_ meant to be," She grinned at him.

Josh chuckled softly at her comment.

"But, if it makes you feel any better, I'm not gonna rush into any of that stuff  _right now_ ," Maya told him. "Riles, me and the rest of the gang- we're all just focused on trying to survive high school right now. So, you don't have to worry...yet. Maybe give us another year," She grinned teasingly at him.

Josh sighed. "Ok," He murmured. He knew that he could never stop her from doing something she  _really_ wanted to do. But he  _could_  keep sharing with her some of the hard lessons he had learned along the way, and  _hope_ that she would eventually listen.

"I  _do_ like champagne though. I think it  _sucks_  that we gotta wait to be 21 for  _that_ ," Maya whined.

Josh chuckled. "I like champagne too. Now  _that's_ something you're not gonna find at a lot of school parties. Too expensive. So, if that's what you're into, then  _maybe_ , I won't be so worried. You also don't get drunk that easily from champagne or wine. If you have like one glass, you're gonna be fine. I  _do_  see that you're gonna have an expensive taste though, Ferret. I'll have to keep raking in the dough to pay for that I suppose."

Maya giggled at his comment. "Like I said, you signed up for it, Boing. I tried to warn ya. So yea, you better start preparing cos I'm a  _high maintenance chick_."

Josh smiled. "Ok, Maya," He murmured softly before he reached out and secured the flower hairband she was wearing. Maya beamed at him.

"Thanks Josh."

"Uh...for what? Fixing your hairband?" He asked amusedly.

"For bringing me here," She retorted as she glanced around the restaurant. "It's pretty nice and fancy in here. Hopefully, their tacos are gonna be good."

"They  _better_  be for the prices that they're charging," Josh muttered as he glanced through the menu. "But you're welcome, Ferret. Thought it'd be nice to try a slightly fancy restaurant for the second part of our first date," He told her.

Maya gazed at him fondly for a few seconds.

"Gimme your camera, Boing," She stated.

"Umm...why? Sorry, I'm  _very_ possessive of my camera," Josh responded with a wide grin.

"I need to take a picture," Maya simply stated.

"Oh ok. Of you? I can take it."

" _Nah_ , you got enough pics of me already...I...I wanna take one of you," She said in a shy tone.

Josh smiled warmly at her. "I kinda like being behind the camera, Maya. I don't really need a picture of myself. But we can take a selfie later if you want."

Maya shook her head. "I want one just of you...to remember today...if you don't mind. I'm not gonna post it online...so you don't have to worry about that. I'm just gonna hold on to it until we're...um...Instagram official."

Josh chuckled. " _Instagram official,_ " He muttered to himself in an amused tone.

"Ok, Maya, you can take a picture," He handed her his camera.

"Thanks!" She exclaimed happily before pointing his camera at him.

"Ok,  _do something_ Boing! Smile or laugh or...something," She urged him.

"Well then, tell me something funny to make me laugh. Otherwise, this is my serious face, Ferret. Sorry," Josh gave her a serious look and folded his arms.

" _Ugh...Boyiiiing. Don't do that,"_ Maya whined.

"I'm  _waiting_  for a reason to laugh.  _Duh_ ," Josh stated matter-of-factly. "If you want a pic of my charming, laughing face, it's gonna cost ya. That's just how it is, Señorita."

Maya gave him an annoyed look and rolled her eyes. " _Ok fine, loser._ I'll tell you a joke _,_ " She said.

Josh grinned in amusement. "Ok, go ahead."

" _Knock_ ,  _knock_ ," Maya stated in a boring, monotonous tone.

Josh burst out laughing the second he heard that. Seeing her chance, Maya immediately picked up the camera and snapped his picture. She observed it for a few seconds to make sure she was satisfied with it, before she handed the camera back to him.

"Make sure you send me that asap. I need to make some edits to it...like draw hearts on it or something," She told him.

Josh grinned amusedly as he glanced at the picture.

"I can't  _believe_  I started laughing before I even heard your  _knock knock_  joke. Am I lame or what?" He muttered before releasing a frustrated sigh.

It was Maya's turn to laugh. "You're  _very easy_  to break sometimes, Boing," Maya told him with an amused grin. "All talk, but no action. As Trump would say...or tweet, 'SAD!'"

This comment made Josh laugh even harder.

"We gonna talk about politics now?" He asked her in immense amusement.

" _Ugh_. No," Maya responded. " _Not_  on our first slash secondish date. Maybe on our tenth."

Josh chuckled. "Ok cool," He said.

" _Sooo_  sorry guys. We had a small issue at the bar. That's why the drinks took so long," Rosa apologized as she placed a tall glass of virgin  _pina colada_ in front of Maya, and water in front of Josh.

"It's ok, Rosa. Thanks for bringing them," Josh smiled before drinking some water.

"Try your drink. See if you like it," He urged Maya softly.

Maya grabbed her glass and started sipping her  _pina colada._ "Mmm... _delicioso_! Best  _pina colada_ I've ever had!" She exclaimed happily.

Both Rosa and Josh smiled widely at her.

" _Excelente_! I'm glad you like it Maya. Ok, now, are you guys ready to order your main meal?" Rosa asked.

"Uh, yeah," Josh responded as he thumbed through the menu. "Give us as many tacos as you got, Rosa. She eats like a beast."

Maya laughed. "Ignore him Rosa," She said.

Rosa smiled. "Ok, how many tacos do you want?"

"How many you want Maya?" Josh asked her.

"Mmm...maybe...two?" Maya stated in an uncertain tone.

Josh looked at her with a shocked look on his face.

"Make it three, Rosa," He ordered the waitress. "She's just acting shy."

Maya grinned and nodded approvingly, before she drank some more of her  _pina colada._

"And you, Sir?" Rosa asked Josh.

"Oh, please call me 'Josh,' Rosa. And I'll have four tacos please."

"Ok great. How would you like your tacos?"

"Um, two chicken and two pork for me. And Maya?"

"One beef, one chicken, one pork," Maya announced.

"Ok great," Rosa jotted down their order.

"And oh, can we get some guacamole and chips too? To share?" Josh requested.

" _Si_ ," Rosa stated enthusiastically. "Ok will be back in fifteen minutes with your order."

"Awesome, thanks," Josh responded.

" _Seriously_ , Josh, if you want me to chip in...I have a twenty in my purse! Shawn gave it to me before we came," Maya told him proudly as she took out her twenty-dollar bill and showed him.

Josh grinned fondly at her. "Cool, thanks. That could actually pay for all the dessert you're gonna eat," He stated.

"Ok, awesome!" Maya responded.

Josh burst out laughing. "I was being sarcastic Maya," He told her. "It's ok. But I really appreciate your offer. Save that twenty. You can buy me some tacos from Pepe's Taco cart when I'm back in New York. Ok?"

Maya grinned. "Alright," She readily agreed.

Their meal soon arrived. Her mouth salivating from the sight of the tacos and the pleasant aroma accompanying them, Maya quickly grabbed her phone and took a few pictures of her and Josh's plate.

"Can I eat now?" Josh asked her for permission when it looked like she was  _finally_ wrapping up with the pictures.

Maya nodded. "Yep!  _Bon appetit!_ Oh wait...wrong language.  _Oopsie_."

Josh laughed before he bit into his first taco.

"Mmm... _muy delicioso_ ," He said in Spanish. His taco was soft and  _just_ the right amount of juiciness and flavor.

Maya grinned happily at his reaction before she also tried her first taco.

"Omgeee, Boing, this is  _so_ good!" She exclaimed before she took another big bite.

"I know right," Josh agreed. He had already finished his first taco and was reaching for his second. " _Really_  glad we came here."

They quickly devoured their meal and immediately ordered dessert. As they waited for it, Maya gathered her courage and finally asked him the  _one question_ that had been on her mind since they started talking about underage drinking.

"What's the craziest thing you did or that happened to you when you were drunk, Josh?"

Josh looked at her with an apprehensive look on his face. He wasn't too thrilled about the question. He was quiet for a moment, as he perused his thoughts, before he finally spoke. "I don't wanna ruin our date, Maya. You mind if I answer that question later? Maybe when we're back home?"

Maya raised a curious eyebrow at him. She immediately recalled Kyle's hints about the few times Josh " _really_  let loose" during his time at John Adams. It sounded like Kyle had been about to say more, but stopped himself because of his loyalty to Josh.

Maya bit her lip. "Guess it's that bad, huh..." She muttered.

"Yes...and no," Josh responded cryptically. "You already know some of it actually. But I'll prefer  _not_  to get into it  _right now_. I don't wanna ruin the good time we've been having. I promise I'll tell you  _everything_  when we're back home and sitting in the tree-house."

"You don't have to tell me, Josh," Maya stated. "Sorry, I probably shouldn't have asked."

"No, you  _should_ ask," Josh told her passionately. "You should  _know_  the guy that you're dating Maya. That's  _very_ important. The good, the bad  _and_  the ugly...you have to make sure you know it all. And the guy  _should_ be willing to answer your questions  _honestly._ No bullshit. If they don't, that's a _huge_ red flag. So, with that being said, I don't mind you asking. I'm just sensing that it would be better to answer this later. That's all. Ok?"

Maya nodded. "Alright, Boing."

"Cool," Josh smiled warmly at her.

"Here's your dessert!" Rosa announced as she served them a large plate of  _churros_ and  _flan._

" _Fantastico_!" Maya cried out excitedly before she immediately started digging into the dessert.

" _Wow_. Not gonna take a picture this time?" Josh teased her.

"Hell no!" Maya responded with her mouth full of  _churros._

Josh chuckled and gazed at her fondly before he started eating his dessert.

* * *

 

She fell asleep on their long drive back home.

Josh wasn't surprised. It had been a hectic, emotionally charged day and he was  _exhausted_  as well. But he  _had_  to stay awake and get them back home safely. So, he turned up the radio, sipped some more coffee, occasionally glanced at her beautiful, peaceful face and then tried to drive as fast as he legally could. Shawn had already texted to find out exactly what time they'd be home.

Inevitably, as he drove along without her voice in his ears, he couldn't help but start thinking about his father. He felt his tears itching to flow, but he kept them at bay. He tried to remember the last experience they had shared together. It was during his Spring break back in March when the two had gone to see a  _Phillies_ game. If  _only_  he had spent more time with him after that day...if  _only_ hehad told him he loved him even more...if  _only_ he had known that he would be gone so soon... _if only_...

He felt warm tears gathering in his eyes. He quickly blinked them away, turned off the radio, and grabbed his phone. He searched through his music playlists for his father's favorite song. Alan wasn't the best singer in the world, but he had been part of a band back in his younger days. And the song, "Good Lovin'" by  _Young Rascals,_  was the  _one song_ coverfrom Alan's band playing days that he would  _torture_  his family with occasionally. Josh was sure there was probably an old videotape recording somewhere in the attic of his father's spontaneous, family musical performances. He would make sure to search for it whenever he got a chance.

He clicked on the song as soon as he found it and leaned back on his seat to listen to it on repeat as he drove.

_1-2-3-_  
(Good lovin' )  
(Good lovin' )  
(Good lovin' )

_I was feelin' so bad,_  
I asked my family doctor just what I had,  
I said, "Doctor,  
(Doctor )  
Mr. M.D.,  
(Doctor )  
Now can you tell me, tell me, tell me,  
What's ailin' me?"  
(Doctor )

_He said, "Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,_  
(Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)  
Yes, indeed, all you really need  
(Is good lovin')  
Gimme that good, good lovin  
(Good lovin')  
All I need is lovin'  
(Good lovin')  
Good lovin', baby...


	43. Chapter 43

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hi all, this is the LAST chapter! Thanks to all who stuck it out until the end. Hope you enjoyed this journey as much as I did. Apologies for this chapter ending with a cliffhanger. That will form the major plot points for any sequel that I may write, so that's why it's there. Hope you all enjoy the rest of your summer. Wishing you all the best :)

**Chapter 43**

" _Maya_?  _Maya?_ Wake up," Josh prodded her awake.  _Boy, she's a deep sleeper,_ he thought amusedly as he watched her open her eyes slowly and blink in confusion for a few seconds before releasing a loud yawn.

"Where are we Boing?" She asked in a sleepy tone as she glanced around.

"Uh...home. Remember that place? You know, like where you  _live_?" He said teasingly.

Maya grinned and stretched.

" _Ow,_ my neck kinda hurts," She muttered as she rubbed her neck.

"Oh, sorry about that.  _Thelma_ is not the most comfortable car to sleep in unfortunately," Josh told her.

Maya massaged her neck a little bit more before glancing at her phone.

" _Holy moley_ , it's ten o' clock already?!" She cried out.

"Yeah...we hit a little bit of traffic," Josh admitted with a weary sigh.

"Oh," Maya replied. "Sorry Boing. I kinda slept through the entire trip, didn't I?"

Josh chuckled. "Yeah, pretty much. Left me  _all_ alone with my thoughts. Thanks for nothing, partner."

Maya gave him a guilty smile. "I'm sorry. I just couldn't help it. I was  _so_ tired...but I had a  _great_ time.  _Best date ever._  A part of me feels kinda bad cos you should have just rested today...and you probably  _would_  have...if it wasn't for me..." She said softly.

Josh smiled warmly at her. "Don't feel bad Maya," He told her. "I had a great time today as well...and for a few hours, I...I was actually able to think about something else. So, thanks for that. My day was  _better_  because of you. So, I don't want you feeling bad about that..."

Maya beamed at him as she felt tears in her eyes.

"You're welcome, Josh," She said softly. "I'm glad I made your day better. Thanks for telling me that. Means a lot."

"Well, aren't we both filled with thanks tonight! Did Thanksgiving come early or what?!" Josh joked.

Maya giggled. "I know. We've kinda just been sitting here saying thank you for the past minute," She observed amusedly.

Josh smiled and leaned in towards her. "Well, here's another  _thank you_ , Maya...without words this time," He murmured before joining his lips to hers. Maya smiled into their kiss and Josh couldn't help but smile back. They both opened their eyes and grinned widely at each other before bursting out into an amused chuckle.

"Sorry. Maybe if I had smiled less, that kiss would have been longer," Maya observed.

Josh laughed. "It's ok. Smiling is  _always_  a good thing. I aint got no problem with that, girl," He told her.

Maya giggled. "Okay," She nodded.

"You wanna know what I'm thinking, Boing?" She stated in her usual, mischievous tone.

" _Uh-oh_...what are you thinking?" Josh asked amusedly.

"I was thinking we could have a  _lil_  sleepover tonight in your tree-house," She batted her eyes at him and gave him a sly smile. "We could watch some movies, or just hang out and chat, and  _maybe_  do a _lil_ more than that if you know what I mean?" She winked flirtatiously at Josh which caused him to burst out in laughter.

"I just figured...since I'm leaving in a few days...would be fun to do this...What do you say Boing?" She beamed at him.

Josh smiled as he pondered her suggestion for a moment.

"I love the idea...just worried about your Daddy..."He grinned at her. "Hanging out and watching movies is one thing Maya, but he won't be too crazy about a  _sleepover...by ourselves._  I mean, he's cool with us  _now_  but he's  _definitely_  not at sleepover level yet...that much I know."

Maya sighed. "Leave Shawn to me...I'll talk to him."

Josh chuckled. "Alright. If you're able to convince Shawn on this- you can ace all your classes for next year, Maya. Cos that's a lot  _easier_  to do than you getting Shawn to approve this plan  _right now_  at this time of the night."

"We  _could_ always do it without him knowing about it...I mean, if he's  _sleeping,_ he's not gonna know..."Maya suggested with a sly smile.

Josh shook his head at her in amusement. "We  _could_ risk that, Maya...but I would prefer _not_ to do that. I feel like after  _a long while,_ I'm  _finally_ on your Dad's good side now. I don't wanna do anything to ruin that, or to make him start thinking that I don't have pure intentions with you. So, the only way I'm on board with this is if  _he_  is as well. We could hang out and chat for a lil bit though...or watch some movies later. Maybe tomorrow? Don't think he will have an issue with that. But, just not a sleepover. I'm sure he'll probably give us like half an hour to hang out or something and then come tell us to go to bed. So, yeah...sorry, Ferret," He made a sad face at her.

Maya pouted. "I can't _wait_ to be 18.  _Goshdarnit!"_ She whined.

Josh laughed. "Don't worry Maya. You'll get there soon enough," He assured her. " _Trust me_. Time _really_ does fly by. I couldn't  _believe_  it when  _I_  turned 18. It was like, where the _hell_ did all the time go? One minute, I was hitting balls with Kyle and the boys and the next minute, I was 18 and rushing to class at NYU...it's  _crazy..._ " He sighed as he thought of all the events that had transpired in his life the last few years.

"Well, it's  _not_  happening soon enough!" Maya hissed in frustration. "Can I ask you a question, Josh?"

Josh nodded. " _Of course_. And I still haven't forgotten about your other question...I'll make sure to answer it if we get permission to hang out in the tree-house for a lil bit before bed..."

"Ok," Maya responded with a warm smile. "Do you um...sometimes still see me as a...uh...lil kid?" She asked him shyly. She glanced down at her lap nervously before re-focusing her gaze on him.

Josh was taken aback by the question.  _What the hell?_ He thought as he gazed at her in shock.

"Maya,  _of course,_ I don't see you as a lil kid. I stopped seeing you like that ever since the day you came to NYU. Remember when I told you I'll start seeing you differently? I actually meant that. I would certainly  _not_  be dating you if I still saw you like that...I don't date lil kids," He grinned at her amusedly.

Maya smiled. "You're right. Sorry, Josh. I shouldn't have asked."

"No, like I said Maya, feel free to ask me anything but, where is this coming from? Is it because of what we were saying about Shawn and you wanting to turn 18?"

Maya bit her lip nervously. "Maybe..." She sighed. "I guess it's probably the underage drinking convo we had...and then this convo..."

"Maya, I'm  _also_  underage when it comes to drinking! We are both in the same boat!" Josh stated with an amused chuckle.

"I know, but it's different between us, Josh. You know that..."

"Maya-"

"I just can't help feeling that if you had someone your own age...you wouldn't have to worry about curfews and parents and how far you can go...it just  _sucks_  sometimes," She muttered with a soft sigh as she slowly ran her hand through her hair.

Josh smiled warmly at her as he reached over and caressed her cheek softly.

"I think you had  _way_  too much virgin  _pina colada_. You need to sleep it off," He teased her.

Maya giggled.

"I wouldn't trade what we have for  _anything_ , Maya...or for any girl..." He assured her. "I wanna be with  _you_...and that's that. I know it sucks sometimes to deal with all the rules hanging over our head, but we'll do the best we can for  _us_. Okay? So yeah. I  _don't_ see you as a lil kid. Hopefully, you got that.  _Auggie_  is a lil kid.  _You_ are _way_  past that. I think that's  _pretty_ clear. I know we tease each other a lot about the age difference but hopefully you've not been taking that too seriously, right?"

Maya shook her head. "No," She said. "I'm good. Sorry, I brought this up."

"It's aight. Let's head inside though before Shawn comes out looking for us," Josh stated.

They exited the car and walked hand-in-hand towards the house. They had barely reached the entrance when the door flew open and a familiar group of friends yelled out loudly to them,  _"SURPRISE!"_

Maya screamed in shock (and immense surprise) as she gazed at the scene before her. Her four closest friends from high school- Lucas, Farkle, Zay and Smackle- were standing before her and laughing hysterically at the look on her face. Riley was giggling as she stood behind them and observed her best friend's reaction. Cory, Topanga, Shawn, Katy, Auggie, and Farkle's father, Stuart, were present as well.

" _Oh my God_!" Maya cried out after she finally managed to speak. "Is  _this_ for real?!" She couldn't  _believe_  that her friends, whom she hadn't seen for over a week because they had  _all_  been traveling for the summer, were now standing before her in the Matthews home like it was the most normal thing in the world.

 _"What the heck is going on?!"_  She cried out.

They all burst out laughing as they gazed fondly at her.

"We  _missed_  ya, Honey-Nugget. You and Suga over here," Zay explained. "Of course, as soon as we heard about what happened, Luke and I couldn't stay in Texas anymore. We wanted to come and see how you two were doing, but we wanted it to be a surprise."

"So, they reached out to me to coordinate everything," Farkle continued. "Cos you know, I'm the genius."

" _Focus_ Sweetheart on your train of thought," Smackle scolded him gently.

"Oh yes, of course, Sweetheart," Farkle smiled fondly at his girlfriend before he continued speaking. "Anyway, I was all the way in the Caribbean cruising, but as soon as I told my parents, they were like,  _yeah, we need to head back_. I reached out to Smackle and she was also on board."

"So, we all took a return flight back to New York, and Farkle's Dad drove us here," Smackle finished her boyfriend's statement.

"We _really_  wanted to make it in time for the funeral yesterday," Lucas stated, "but unfortunately, Zay and I- our flight was delayed due to a storm- so we couldn't get to New York as early as we wanted to. The group wanted to wait for us so we could all come together and...SURPRISE!" He screamed out with a wide, goofy grin.

"We get it Honey. You can shut up now," Riley muttered as she gazed adoringly at her boyfriend. Lucas smiled at her and grasped her hand gently. Maya felt her heart swell with happiness when she saw that.

"I'm  _so_  happy to see you guys," She muttered as she felt her eyes filling with tears. "I've missed you all  _so_  much...and you know I'm usually not this mushy so...yeah, I guess I really missed you."

"Awww, we missed you too Maya," Farkle stated. "Group hug everyone?" He said.

 _"Yay!"_ Riley cried out excitedly.

The six friends quickly gathered and linked their arms together as they formed a tight circle.

"Hi everyone!" Riley stated excitedly as she beamed at them. They all burst out in laughter.

"I know I'm the one who suggested this, but it's  _really_  hard to have a group hug with six people. Just wanted to throw that out there..." Farkle observed.

"I love you guys!" Riley exclaimed.

"Aww, we love you too, Suga," Zay responded with a fond smile. "And  _you_ , Honey-Nugget," He nudged Maya gently, who was standing next to him. Maya beamed at him in response.

"Ok...I think that's enough for me," Smackle announced in an uncomfortable tone as she tried to squeeze her way out of the hug. They all laughed again and disentangled themselves from each other.

"Hey Josh," Lucas greeted Josh, who was standing by and watching the group's interaction with a smile on his face.

"Hey Lucas...and everyone," Josh greeted them. "Welcome to Philly. It's really nice to see you all here.  _And_  a big surprise. That's great that you were all able to come, considering you were all out of town."

"We didn't have any other choice. Sorry for your loss, man," Lucas said.

"Yeah, sorry Josh," Farkle echoed the sentiment.

"Sorry, Dreamboat," Smackle stated. Josh chuckled when he heard that. The girl just can't seem to catch a hint, he thought in immense amusement. She had called him "Dreamboat" at the ski lodge as well, he remembered.

" _Smackle_!" Farkle scolded his girlfriend, as usual, for flirting with another boy, as Maya watched their exchange with immense amusement.

" _What?_ Sorry, Sweetie, but I can't help it, ok? I mean,  _look at him_!" Smackle responded. "I'm just stating facts, that's all," She shrugged.

"Anyway," Josh spoke up in an attempt to change the topic, "thanks guys. I really appreciate you being here to support Riles and Maya. So, yeah, thanks for coming."

"We're here to support you too, Josh," Lucas stated. "Let us know if you wanna hang out later. We're gonna be around for a couple more days. We could all play some ball or something."

"Yeah that'd be great," Farkle agreed.

Josh smiled and nodded. "Sure, that'd be awesome," He responded. He found himself glancing at Zay for a moment to see his reaction. He was the only one of the boys not making eye-contact with Josh as he fixed his gaze on the ground and kept quiet.

"Alright kiddos. It's late," Shawn finally announced. "You all can stay up and chat for a lil bit but make sure you head to bed at a  _reasonable_  time, ok? Tomorrow, we're gonna put you _all_ to work at the shop."

"Shawn, let them have some fun first. They haven't even seen Philly," Katy stated.

"Business before pleasure, Katy. I agree with Shawn on this. Let's work them first," Cory pointed out as Topanga rolled her eyes.

"When do you  _not_ agree with Shawn?!" She scolded her husband. " _Come on_! Off to bed! Come on Auggie. Bedtime. We'll see you guys tomorrow, ok?" She smiled at the group of friends.

"Ok, goodnight," The group said as the adults headed off to sleep.

"What do you say, guys?! Sleepover?!" Riley cried out excitedly. "We could all camp out in the living room!"

"Ooh, great idea Honey!" Maya exclaimed excitedly.

"Oh yeah. We gon get ice cream and cookies, right?" Zay asked with a wide grin on his face.

"Yeah, I think I can find some!" Riley responded. "Let's all go change into our jammies and then we can meet back in the living room in like five minutes?"

"Ok," Lucas, Zay, Farkle and Smackle nodded as they went back inside the house. Riley and Maya turned their attention back to Josh.

"You gonna join us Uncle Josh? It will be fun," She said.

"Yeah, Boing," Maya muttered in agreement.

Josh smiled fondly at the both of them before shaking his head slowly.

"I would  _love_  to join you guys Riles, but I'm  _really_  tired. So, I think I'm just gonna head off to bed," He said.

"Booooo!" Maya cried out. "Leave us Riles. I'll knock some sense into this Blockhead," She told her friend. Riley grinned before quickly leaving them alone.

Maya walked up to him and stared at him with a slight frown. "What's going on in that  _thick_  head of yours, Boing? You're no Farkle, but you're pretty much a genius as far as I'm concerned," She grinned at him. "Have you  _forgotten_ we were just talking about having a  _sleepover_ tonight? But you said that Shawn wouldn't allow it if it's just the two of us? Well,  _genius_ , now is our chance. I know it's not just gonna be the two of us, which kinda sucks, but at least, we can have a sleepover now. So  _why_  are you resisting? You can sleep right away if you want. Aint nobody gonna force you to chat. Not like you got anything interesting to say anyway-" She grinned teasingly at him.

" _Wow,_ " Josh muttered as he burst out laughing.

"But I  _do_  want you to join...I'd like you to be next to me," She muttered shyly as she beamed at him.

Josh felt his heart fluttering as he gazed down at her.  _She's too cute for her own good_ , he thought. In that moment, as he gazed into her eyes, he couldn't refuse her offer anymore.

"Ok Maya, I'll join," He stated.

"Yay!" Maya cried out excitedly as she reached up to kiss him. "Ok, I'm gonna go inside and change. I'll see you in five?"

"Sure," Josh nodded.

 _"I love you, Boing,"_ Maya muttered softly.

Josh grinned.  _"I love you, Ferret,"_  He immediately responded.

" _Oh_ , I just remembered," Maya stated. "Grab your red sweatshirt from the car and bring it to me. It's mine now," She winked at him before disappearing into the house.

Josh chuckled softly before heading back to the car. He took out the sweatshirt and was about to shut the door when he heard a phone ringing. It was Maya's ring tone- one of the songs by Ariana that she had forced him to listen to during their ride. Apparently, she had left her phone inside the car. Josh picked it up and immediately checked the identity of the caller.

It was Zay...

He felt an uncomfortable feeling boiling up in his gut as he allowed the phone to keep ringing. When it finally stopped, he saw a text message notification from Zay. He stared at the phone for a moment debating _whether_ he should read the message. He  _knew_ that he shouldn't do it. It just wasn't the right thing to do...he  _had_  to trust Maya, and he did...he just  _didn't_  trust Zay.

Josh hadn't forgotten about his conversation with Zay at _Six Flags_ a couple weeks ago. He remembered Zay saying that Maya had confided in him about what had transpired between her and Josh earlier that morning. But then, when he had asked Maya, she had denied _ever_  confiding in Zay that day. Considering that everything ended happily enough with he and Maya officially becoming boyfriend and girlfriend, Josh had decided to let things go and not confront Zay about his obvious lie. But the fact that Zay was still giving him the cold shoulder- he thought of Zay's silence and his lack of eye-contact earlier- but was willing to shower  _a lot of_ affection on Maya whenever he could, made Josh  _extremely_  uncomfortable. He didn't  _want_  to think the worse of Zay or his intentions towards Maya. But there was just a part of Josh that was now immensely wary of Zay  _ever since_  his apparent lie about what Maya may have or _not_ told him that day. Josh  _knew_  he was probably going to regret doing it later, but he couldn't help himself. He clicked on Maya's phone and quickly read Zay's message.

 **Zay** :  _Honey-Nugget! Wasssssup?! You probz getting ready so we can chat at sleepover. Just wanted to let u know that I really missed ya. Nice to see u again :D So, I guess, u and Cub Scout being official wasn't a prank, ha? lmao. jk. let's chat later. i wanna know how things are going? he treating u good? He better! Aint nu'in but the best for my honey-nugget. so yeah. neways, like i told ya before- if he screw up, he aint gonna know what hit him lol. so he better be treatin u right. im just saying. neways. let's chat later aight. can't wait to get all the gossip on wat u been up to. see u at sleepover girl._

Josh was furious. He  _had_  to re-read the message again before taking a moment to try and calm himself down.  _Who the hell does he think he is to come into MY house and send MY girlfriend a message like this?!_ Josh thought angrily. He  _wanted_  to believe that Zay was simply being protective of Maya as a  _friend_. But he wasn't  _stupid_  enough to actually believe that anymore. It was becoming increasingly clear to Josh that Zay was  _interested_  in Maya and clearly _disliked_  him because  _he_  was the one with Maya. He felt that Zay couldn't have made his intentions any more obvious if he tried, and Josh wasn't going to pretend to be ignorant anymore.

Fuming, Josh slammed his car door and leaned on  _Thelma_ as he thought about  _how_ he was going to handle the really sensitive situation between him, Zay and Maya. He decided that it was probably time to have a conversation with Zay. He wouldn't say anything to Maya just yet...He would try and give Zay a chance to explain himself and his intentions towards Maya, before voicing his concerns to Maya. He was also  _definitely_ going to be at the sleepover. There was no way in  _hell_ he was going to let Zay anywhere  _near_  Maya that night. And lastly, he would keep his eyes on Zay and observe him  _even more closely_ going forward. Josh  _hated_ that he simply couldn't trust the boy anymore. But that was just the reality of the situation. Zay was adamant in his willingness to keep pushing boundaries and crossing lines with Maya,  _and as along_ as he was going to keep doing that, Josh was  _definitely_  going to do something about it. The only thing he  _hated_ was somehow ruining the amazing friendship dynamic of the group if he started confronting Zay. Josh didn't want to negatively impact the close group of friends  _in any way._ So he _knew_  that he would have to be  _extremely_ careful in how he handled the situation. After all,  _he_  was the adult. The onus was on him to deal with the situation  _maturely and responsibly_.

 _Ugh..._ he thought in frustration as he rubbed his forehead. He was getting a headache. He took in a deep breath and started walking back into the house. He was just about to enter when Maya's phone rang again.

 _What the hell! I'm going to kill him!_ Josh thought angrily, immediately assuming that it was Zay calling Maya yet again. But it wasn't. It was a call from an unknown number. He debated for a second whether to respond. After the phone rang a fourth time, he caved in and answered out of sheer curiosity.

"Hello?"

There was a brief pause at the other end of the line before a deep, male voice responded. "Um...hello? Is this...um, Maya Hart's phone?"

Josh felt his heart skip a beat.  _Who the hell is this?_ He thought.

"Uh...who is this?" He asked in a wary tone.

There was another pause before the mysterious caller spoke again.

"Um...this is uh...this is, Kermit Hart...her father. Please...if this is Maya's phone, can I speak to her please? It's...it's urgent. Please...I wouldn't be doing this if it wasn't urgent..."

Josh felt his heart drop as he listened to the man's anguished pleading. He couldn't  _believe_ what he was hearing. He felt his headache getting even worse. He was officially regretting having answered his girlfriend's phone without her permission. His heart pounding, he gazed off into the night unable to decide what to do.


	44. Sequel!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sequel is out!

Hey guys, so the sequel for this book is out. It's called "Barcelona: A Sequel to Valentine's Day." If you've made it this far, then you should check it out in my stories. Enjoy and thanks for reading!!


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